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Big Business Owners and Politics: Investigating the Economic Incentives of Holding Top Office

Author

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  • Bunkanwanicha, Pramuan
  • Wiwattanakantang, Yupana

Abstract

This paper investigates the mechanisms that firms use to get state favors. We focus on a less well studied but common mechanism: business owners seeking election to top office. Using Thailand as a research setting, we find that business owners who rely on government concessions or are wealthier are more likely to run for top office. Once in power the market valuation of their firms increases dramatically. Surprisingly, the owners' political power does not change their firms' financing strategies. Instead, we show that business owners in top office use their policy decision powers to implement regulations and public policies favorable to their firms. Such policies hinder not only domestic competitors but also foreign investors. As a result, connected firms are able to seize more market share.

Suggested Citation

  • Bunkanwanicha, Pramuan & Wiwattanakantang, Yupana, 2006. "Big Business Owners and Politics: Investigating the Economic Incentives of Holding Top Office," CEI Working Paper Series 2006-10, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:hit:hitcei:2006-10
    Note: October 13, 2006
    as

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    File URL: http://hermes-ir.lib.hit-u.ac.jp/hermes/ir/re/13486/wp2006-10a.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brown, Stephen J. & Warner, Jerold B., 1985. "Using daily stock returns : The case of event studies," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 3-31, March.
    2. Christian Leuz & Felix Oberholzer-Gee, "undated". "Political Relationships, Global Financing and Corporate Transparency," Center for Financial Institutions Working Papers 03-16, Wharton School Center for Financial Institutions, University of Pennsylvania.
    3. Chutatong Charumilind & Raja Kali & Yupana Wiwattanakantang, 2006. "Connected Lending: Thailand before the Financial Crisis," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 79(1), pages 181-218, January.
    4. Raghuram G. Rajan & Luigi Zingales, 2000. "The Great Reversals: The Politics of Financial Development in the 20th Century," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 265, OECD Publishing.
    5. Acemoglu, Daron & Johnson, Simon & Robinson, James A., 2005. "Institutions as a Fundamental Cause of Long-Run Growth," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.),Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 6, pages 385-472, Elsevier.
    6. repec:aea:jeclit:v:43:y:2005:i:3:p:655-720 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Mara Faccio, 2006. "Politically Connected Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(1), pages 369-386, March.
    8. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    9. MARA FACCIO & RONALD W. MASULIS & JOHN J. McCONNELL, 2006. "Political Connections and Corporate Bailouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2597-2635, December.
    10. Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & John van Reenen, 1999. "Market Share, Market Value and Innovation in a Panel of British Manufacturing Firms," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 66(3), pages 529-554.
    11. Asim Ijaz Khwaja & Atif Mian, 2005. "Do Lenders Favor Politically Connected Firms? Rent Provision in an Emerging Financial Market," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 120(4), pages 1371-1411.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business groups; Corporate governance; Emerging economies; Family firms; Political connections;

    JEL classification:

    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • K23 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Regulated Industries and Administrative Law

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