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Enjoying the Quiet Life: Corporate Decision-making by Entrenched Managers

In: Corporate Governance (NBER-TCER-CEPR Conference)

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  • Naoshi Ikeda
  • Kotaro Inoue
  • Sho Watanabe

Abstract

In this study, we empirically test “quiet life hypothesis,” which predicts that managers who are subject to weak monitoring from the shareholders avoid making difficult decisions such as risky investment and business restructuring with Japanese firm data. We employ cross-shareholder and stable shareholder ownership as the proxy variables of the strength of a manager’s defense against market disciplinary power. We examine the effect of the proxy variables on manager-enacted corporate behaviors and the results indicate that entrenched managers who are insulated from disciplinary power of stock market avoid making difficult decisions such as large investments and business restructures. However, when managers are closely monitored by institutional investors and independent directors, they tend to be active in making difficult decisions. Taken together, our results are consistent with managerial quiet life hypothesis.
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  • Naoshi Ikeda & Kotaro Inoue & Sho Watanabe, 2018. "Enjoying the Quiet Life: Corporate Decision-making by Entrenched Managers," NBER Chapters, in: Corporate Governance (NBER-TCER-CEPR Conference), National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberch:14057
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    3. Miguel Antón & Florian Ederer & Mireia Giné & Martin Schmalz, 2023. "Common Ownership, Competition, and Top Management Incentives," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 131(5), pages 1294-1355.
    4. Sammy G. Muriithi & Bruce A. Walters & William R. McCumber & Luis R. Robles, 2022. "Managerial entrenchment and corporate social responsibility engagement: the role of economic policy uncertainty," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(2), pages 621-640, June.
    5. Fukuda, Shin-ichi & Kasuya, Munehisa & Nakajima, Jouchi, 2018. "The role of corporate governance in Japanese unlisted companies," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 27-39.
    6. French, Joseph J. & Fujitani, Ryosuke & Yasuda, Yukihiro, 2020. "Under pressure: Listing status and disinvestment in Japan," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
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    8. Sato, Ryo & Takeda, Fumiko, 2023. "Effects of shareholder proposals on the market value of Japanese firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 320-333.
    9. Kanno, Masayasu, 2019. "Network structures and credit risk in cross-shareholdings among listed Japanese companies," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 17-31.
    10. Hidaka, Wataru & Ikeda, Naoshi & Inoue, Kotaro, 2023. "Does engagement by large asset managers enhance governance of target firms?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
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    13. Joseph J. French & Juxin Yan & Yukihiro Yasuda, 2019. "Relationships Matter: the Impact of Bank-Firm Relationships on Mergers and Acquisitions in Japan," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 56(3), pages 259-305, December.
    14. Fukuda, Akira, 2020. "The Effects of M&A on Corporate Performance in Japan:DID Analysis in the Era of Corporate Governance Reform," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    15. Takakorn Likitapiwat & Sirimon Treepongkaruna & Pornsit Jiraporn, 2023. "CSR variability, managerial risk aversion, and hostile takeover threats," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 773-790, March.
    16. Stefan Schmid & Felix Roedder, 2022. "Much ado about diversity? The perpetuation of old elites on corporate boards," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(8), pages 3263-3285, December.
    17. Katsuhiko Muramiya & Tomomi Takada, 2020. "How cross‐shareholding influences financial reporting: Evidence from Japan," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 309-326, September.
    18. KUBO Katsuyuki & TSUBONO Kodai, 2022. "The Effect of Investment Funds on Employment and Wages," Discussion papers 22044, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    19. Johan JIDINGER & MIYAJIMA Hideaki, 2020. "Does Regulation Matter?: Effects of Corporate Governance Reforms on Relational Shareholding in Japan," Discussion papers 20003, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    20. Pascal Nguyen & Nahid Rahman, 2020. "Institutional ownership, cross‐shareholdings and corporate cash reserves in Japan," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 1175-1207, April.
    21. Lee, Kyounghun & Oh, Frederick Dongchuhl, 2022. "Mandatory disclosure, investment, and private benefits of control," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 216(C).
    22. Kim, Hyonok & Yasuda, Yukihiro, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty and earnings management: Evidence from Japan," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    23. Hideaki Sakawa & Naoki Watanabel, 2020. "Institutional Ownership and Firm Performance under Stakeholder-Oriented Corporate Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, January.
    24. Kenichi Yoshida & Kenichi Kurita & Shunsuke Managi, 2023. "Stakeholder engagement as a sustainable development strategy: Managerial entrenchment for cross‐shareholdings," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(1), pages 402-418, January.
    25. Chatjuthamard, Pattanaporn & Ongsakul, Viput & Jiraporn, Pornsit, 2022. "Corporate complexity, managerial myopia, and hostile takeover exposure: Evidence from textual analysis," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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