IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ers/journl/vxxiiiy2020i2p23-44.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Corporate Governance Transparency in Small Listed Entities: The Case of Malta

Author

Listed:
  • Peter J. Baldacchino
  • Nirvana Duca
  • Norbert Tabone
  • Simon Grima

Abstract

Purpose: The objectives of this study are to examine whether a lack of transparency is a common corporate governance feature of listed entities (“MLEs”) in the small European state of Malta and, if so, to assess the possible implications of such a stance. Design/Approach/Methodology: In order to achieve such research objectives, a predominantly qualitative mixed methodology was adopted. This involved carrying out thirteen semi-structured interviews with MLE and audit firm representatives, these being supported by an examination of the corporate governance statements of MLEs for the 2015-2017 periods. Findings: Results show a general lack of transparency in corporate governance reporting, with a common MLE tendency to comply only at a superficial level with the principles of good corporate governance and thus to often fail to sustain an appropriate level of transparency and governance structures. Practical Implications: It is recomended to increase company and shareholder awareness so as to help towards further improving current attitudes. Originality/Value: The study is particularly envisaged to contribute towards encouraging stakeholders in small-state contexts to reassess their current perspectives towards corporate transparency.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter J. Baldacchino & Nirvana Duca & Norbert Tabone & Simon Grima, 2020. "Corporate Governance Transparency in Small Listed Entities: The Case of Malta," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 23-44.
    • Handle: RePEc:ers:journl:v:xxiii:y:2020:i:2:p:23-44
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.ersj.eu/journal/1578/download
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Etienne Farvaque & Catherine Refait-Alexandre & Dhafer Saïdane, 2011. "Corporate disclosure: A review of its (direct and indirect) benefits and costs," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 128, pages 5-31.
    2. Akhigbe, Aigbe & Martin, Anna D., 2006. "Valuation impact of Sarbanes-Oxley: Evidence from disclosure and governance within the financial services industry," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 989-1006, March.
    3. Winkler, Bernhard, 2000. "Which kind of transparency? On the need for clarity in monetary policy-making," Working Paper Series 26, European Central Bank.
    4. Arcot, Sridhar & Bruno, Valentina & Faure-Grimaud, Antoine, 2010. "Corporate governance in the UK: Is the comply or explain approach working?," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(2), pages 193-201, June.
    5. Imen Khanchel, 2007. "Corporate governance: measurement and determinant analysis," Managerial Auditing Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 22(8), pages 740-760, September.
    6. Robert M. Bushman & Joseph D. Piotroski & Abbie J. Smith, 2004. "What Determines Corporate Transparency?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 207-252, May.
    7. repec:cii:cepiei:2011-q4-128- is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Richard A. Wolfe & Daniel S. Putler, 2002. "How Tight Are the Ties that Bind Stakeholder Groups?," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(1), pages 64-80, February.
    9. David Seidl & Paul Sanderson & John Roberts, 2013. "Applying the ‘comply-or-explain’ principle: discursive legitimacy tactics with regard to codes of corporate governance," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 17(3), pages 791-826, August.
    10. repec:cii:cepiei:2011-q4-128-1 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Parvez Alam Khan & Satirenjit Kaur Johl & Shireenjit K. Johl, 2021. "Does adoption of ISO 56002‐2019 and green innovation reporting enhance the firm sustainable development goal performance? An emerging paradigm," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 2922-2936, November.
    2. Baldacchino & P.J. & Callus & A. & Tabone & N. & Ellul & L. & Grima & S., 2022. "The Barriers and Effectiveness of Management Monitoring by Maltese Listed Boards*," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 12(2), pages 92-127.
    3. Baldacchino & P.J. & Callus & A. & Tabone & N. & Ellul & L. & Grima & S., 2022. "The Barriers and Effectiveness of Management Monitoring by Maltese Listed Boards*," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 12(2), pages 106-141.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shrives, Philip J. & Brennan, Niamh M., 2015. "A typology for exploring the quality of explanations for non-compliance with UK corporate governance regulations," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 85-99.
    2. Etienne Farvaque & Catherine Refait-Alexandre & Dhafer Saïdane, 2011. "Corporate disclosure: A review of its (direct and indirect) benefits and costs," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 128, pages 5-31.
    3. Koładkiewicz Izabela, 2017. "The Quality of Explanations for Deviation from Principles of Corporate Governance. An Introduction," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 25(3), pages 34-54, September.
    4. Peter J Baldacchino & Claire Vella & Simon Grima, 2019. "The Corporate Governance Code and Compliance by Maltese Listed Companies," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(2), pages 71-90.
    5. Hamid Mohsin Jadah & Logasvathi A/P Murugiah & Azira Binti Abdul Adzis, 2016. "The Effect of Board Characteristics on Iraqi Banks Performance," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 6(4), pages 205-214, October.
    6. Maria Aluchna & Tomasz Kuszewski, 2022. "Responses to corporate governance code: evidence from a longitudinal study," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1945-1978, August.
    7. Leona Achtenhagen & Petra Inwinkl & Jacob Björktorp & Robert Källenius, 2018. "More than two decades after the Cadbury Report: How far has Sweden, as role model for corporate-governance practices, come?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 15(4), pages 235-251, November.
    8. Christian Leuz & Peter D. Wysocki, 2016. "The Economics of Disclosure and Financial Reporting Regulation: Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(2), pages 525-622, May.
    9. Rose, Caspar, 2016. "Firm performance and comply or explain disclosure in corporate governance," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 202-222.
    10. Shrives, Philip J. & Brennan, Niamh M., 2017. "Explanations for corporate governance non-compliance: A rhetorical analysis," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 31-56.
    11. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/2942 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Monica Violeta Achim & Viorela-Ligia Văidean & Andrada-Ioana Sabău Popa & Lavinia-Ioana Safta, 2022. "The impact of corporate governance on the digitalization process: empirical evidence for the Romanian companies," Digital Finance, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 313-340, December.
    13. Qian Wang & Duowen Wu & Lina Yan, 2021. "Effect of positive tone in MD&A disclosure on capital structure adjustment speed: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5809-5845, December.
    14. Doidge, Craig & Andrew Karolyi, G. & Stulz, Rene M., 2007. "Why do countries matter so much for corporate governance?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(1), pages 1-39, October.
    15. Ding, Mingfa, 2014. "Political Connections and Stock Liquidity: Political Network, Hierarchy and Intervention," Knut Wicksell Working Paper Series 2014/7, Lund University, Knut Wicksell Centre for Financial Studies.
    16. Wu, Chloe Yu-Hsuan & Hsu, Hwa-Hsien & Haslam, Jim, 2016. "Audit committees, non-audit services, and auditor reporting decisions prior to failure," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 48(2), pages 240-256.
    17. Chisazn , Elham & Noravesh , Iraj & Momeni , Mansour, 2019. "Providing a pattern of disclosure and transparency of information in banks," Journal of Money and Economy, Monetary and Banking Research Institute, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol. 14(1), pages 101-132, January.
    18. Benjamin M. Blau & Todd G. Griffith & Ryan J. Whitby, 2020. "Opacity and the comovement in the stock prices of banks," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(4), pages 3557-3580, December.
    19. Nurul Nazlia Jamil, 2020. "The Power of Political Connections: Review on the Impacts of Audit Committee and Corporate Governance," Journal of Public Administration and Governance, Macrothink Institute, vol. 10(1), pages 333347-3333, December.
    20. Li, Xiaoqing & Qiao, Penghua & Zhao, Lin, 2019. "CEO media exposure, political connection and Chinese firms' stock price synchronicity," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 61-75.
    21. Weifeng Xu & Qingsong Ruan & Chang Liu, 2019. "Can the Famous University Experience of Top Managers Improve Corporate Performance? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-20, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate Governance; transparency; confidentiality; small European state.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ers:journl:v:xxiii:y:2020:i:2:p:23-44. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Marios Agiomavritis (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://ersj.eu/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.