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Uncertainty, corporate investment, and hiring: The case of COVID-19

Author

Listed:
  • Graham, John R.
  • Ikeda, Naoshi
  • Inoue, Kotaro
  • Yamasaki, Takashi

Abstract

We investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected CFOs’ self-assessed uncertainty about revenue growth and its impact on investment and hiring plans, using data from two consecutive surveys of the same CFOs conducted before and during the pandemic. Following the WHO's declaration, firm-level uncertainty increased, and investment plans were restrained. Furthermore, heightened firm-level uncertainty dampened firms' investment and hiring plans, even after controlling for other pandemic-related factors, as well as financial and investment flexibility.

Suggested Citation

  • Graham, John R. & Ikeda, Naoshi & Inoue, Kotaro & Yamasaki, Takashi, 2024. "Uncertainty, corporate investment, and hiring: The case of COVID-19," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:244:y:2024:i:c:s0165176524005093
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2024.112025
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Uncertainty; Corporate planning; COVID-19; Investment; Employment; Surveys;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G01 - Financial Economics - - General - - - Financial Crises
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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