IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jbuset/v134y2016i4d10.1007_s10551-014-2383-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Social Capital, Informal Governance, and Post-IPO Firm Performance: A Study of Chinese Entrepreneurial Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Jerry X. Cao

    (Singapore Management University)

  • Yuan Ding

    (China Europe International Business School (CEIBS))

  • Hua Zhang

    (China Europe International Business School (CEIBS))

Abstract

Social capital can serve as informal governance in weak investor-protection regimes. Using hand-collected data on entrepreneurs’ political connections and firm ownership, we construct several original measures of social capital and examine their effect on the performance of entrepreneurial firms in China after their initial public offerings. Political connections or a high percentage of external investors tend to enhance firm performance, but intragroup related-party transactions commonly lead to performance decline. These forms of social capital have a strong influence on the performance of Chinese firms, whereas formal governance variables such as board size or board independence have little effect. Although social capital may serve as an informal governance mechanism and effectively substitute for formal governance mechanisms in an emerging market, this role of social capital raises several ethical concerns, notably the development of rent-seeking and crony capitalism.

Suggested Citation

  • Jerry X. Cao & Yuan Ding & Hua Zhang, 2016. "Social Capital, Informal Governance, and Post-IPO Firm Performance: A Study of Chinese Entrepreneurial Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 134(4), pages 529-551, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:134:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-014-2383-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-014-2383-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10551-014-2383-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10551-014-2383-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stijn Claessens & Simeon Djankov & Joseph P. H. Fan & Larry H. P. Lang, 2002. "Disentangling the Incentive and Entrenchment Effects of Large Shareholdings," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(6), pages 2741-2771, December.
    2. Krishnan, C. N. V. & Ivanov, Vladimir I. & Masulis, Ronald W. & Singh, Ajai K., 2011. "Venture Capital Reputation, Post-IPO Performance, and Corporate Governance," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 46(5), pages 1295-1333, October.
    3. Ostgaard, Tone A. & Birley, Sue, 1996. "New venture growth and personal networks," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 37-50, May.
    4. Simeon Djankov & Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 2002. "The Regulation of Entry," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(1), pages 1-37.
    5. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    6. Villalonga, Belen & Amit, Raphael, 2006. "How do family ownership, control and management affect firm value?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(2), pages 385-417, May.
    7. Jay R. Ritter & Ivo Welch, 2002. "A Review of IPO Activity, Pricing, and Allocations," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(4), pages 1795-1828, August.
    8. Douglas Cumming & Wenxuan Hou, 2014. "Valuation of restricted shares by conflicting shareholders in the Split Share Structure Reform," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(7-9), pages 778-802, September.
    9. Eng, L. L. & Mak, Y. T., 2003. "Corporate governance and voluntary disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 325-345.
    10. Piotroski, Joseph D. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2014. "Politicians and the IPO decision: The impact of impending political promotions on IPO activity in China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(1), pages 111-136.
    11. Fan, Joseph P.H. & Wong, T.J. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2007. "Politically connected CEOs, corporate governance, and Post-IPO performance of China's newly partially privatized firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 330-357, May.
    12. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W, 1997. "A Survey of Corporate Governance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(2), pages 737-783, June.
    13. Marie Rama, 2012. "Corporate Governance and Corruption: Ethical Dilemmas of Asian Business Groups," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 501-519, September.
    14. Krueger, Anne O, 1974. "The Political Economy of the Rent-Seeking Society," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 64(3), pages 291-303, June.
    15. Eileen Fischer & Rebecca Reuber, 2007. "The Good, the Bad, and the Unfamiliar: The Challenges of Reputation Formation Facing New Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 31(1), pages 53-75, January.
    16. Hoang, Ha & Antoncic, Bostjan, 2003. "Network-based research in entrepreneurship: A critical review," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 165-187, March.
    17. Vartuhí Tonoyan & Robert Strohmeyer & Mohsin Habib & Manfred Perlitz, 2010. "Corruption and Entrepreneurship: How Formal and Informal Institutions Shape Small Firm Behavior in Transition and Mature Market Economies," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(5), pages 803-832, September.
    18. Hung, Mingyi & Wong, T.J. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2012. "Political considerations in the decision of Chinese SOEs to list in Hong Kong," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 435-449.
    19. Acemoglu, Daron, 2003. "Why not a political Coase theorem? Social conflict, commitment, and politics," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 620-652, December.
    20. Friedman, Eric & Johnson, Simon & Mitton, Todd, 2003. "Propping and tunneling," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 732-750, December.
    21. Rosenstein, Stuart & Wyatt, Jeffrey G., 1990. "Outside directors, board independence, and shareholder wealth," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 175-191, August.
    22. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez‐De‐Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 1999. "Corporate Ownership Around the World," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(2), pages 471-517, April.
    23. David Ahlstrom & Garry D. Bruton, 2006. "Venture Capital in Emerging Economies: Networks and Institutional Change," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 30(2), pages 299-320, March.
    24. R. Duane Ireland & Laszlo Tihanyi & Justin W. Webb, 2008. "A Tale of Two Politico-Economic Systems: Implications for Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(1), pages 107-130, January.
    25. Haiyang Li & Yan Zhang, 2007. "The role of managers' political networking and functional experience in new venture performance: Evidence from China's transition economy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 791-804, August.
    26. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2002. "Reversal of Fortune: Geography and Institutions in the Making of the Modern World Income Distribution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(4), pages 1231-1294.
    27. Hsi-Mei Chung, 2006. "Managerial ties, control and deregulation: An investigation of business groups entering the deregulated banking industry in Taiwan," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 505-520, December.
    28. Faccio, Mara & Lang, Larry H. P., 2002. "The ultimate ownership of Western European corporations," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 365-395, September.
    29. Kornai, J, 1979. "Resource-Constrained versus Demand-Constrained Systems," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 47(4), pages 801-819, July.
    30. Tarun Khanna & Krishna Palepu, 2000. "Is Group Affiliation Profitable in Emerging Markets? An Analysis of Diversified Indian Business Groups," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(2), pages 867-891, April.
    31. Daron Acemoglu & James A. Robinson, 2000. "Why Did the West Extend the Franchise? Democracy, Inequality, and Growth in Historical Perspective," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 115(4), pages 1167-1199.
    32. Paul Sanders, 2010. "Managing Under Duress: Ethical Leadership, Social Capital and the Civilian Administration of the British Channel Islands During the Nazi Occupation, 1940–1945," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 93(1), pages 113-129, June.
    33. Gordon Walker & Bruce Kogut & Weijian Shan, 1997. "Social Capital, Structural Holes and the Formation of an Industry Network," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 8(2), pages 109-125, April.
    34. Chen, Zhilan & Cheung, Yan-Leung & Stouraitis, Aris & Wong, Anita W.S., 2005. "Ownership concentration, firm performance, and dividend policy in Hong Kong," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 431-449, September.
    35. Paul Ellis, 2000. "Social Ties and Foreign Market Entry," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 31(3), pages 443-469, September.
    36. Smallbone, David & Welter, Friederike, 2001. "The Distinctiveness of Entrepreneurship in Transition Economies," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 249-262, June.
    37. Larry H. P. Lang & Mara Faccio & Leslie Young, 2001. "Dividends and Expropriation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(1), pages 54-78, March.
    38. Paul Westhead, 1995. "Survival and Employment Growth Contrasts between Types of Owner-Managed High-Technology Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 20(1), pages 5-28, October.
    39. Lipparini, Andrea & Sobrero, Maurizio, 1994. "The glue and the pieces: Entrepreneurship and innovation in small-firm networks," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 125-140, March.
    40. Angeloantonio Russo & Francesco Perrini, 2010. "Investigating Stakeholder Theory and Social Capital: CSR in Large Firms and SMEs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 91(2), pages 207-221, January.
    41. Yi Zhang & Zigang Zhang, 2006. "Guanxi and organizational dynamics in China: a link between individual and organizational levels," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 375-392, September.
    42. David Wan & C. H. Ong, 2005. "Board Structure, Process and Performance: evidence from public‐listed companies in Singapore," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(2), pages 277-290, March.
    43. Jarle Aarstad & Sven A. Haugland & Arent Greve, 2010. "Performance Spillover Effects in Entrepreneurial Networks: Assessing a Dyadic Theory of Social Capital," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 34(5), pages 1003-1020, September.
    44. Donna Marie De Carolis & Barrie E. Litzky & Kimberly A. Eddleston, 2009. "Why Networks Enhance the Progress of New Venture Creation: The Influence of Social Capital and Cognition," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(2), pages 527-545, March.
    45. Birley, Sue, 1985. "The role of networks in the entrepreneurial process," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 107-117.
    46. Bae, Kee-Hong & Baek, Jae-Seung & Kang, Jun-Koo & Liu, Wei-Lin, 2012. "Do controlling shareholders' expropriation incentives imply a link between corporate governance and firm value? Theory and evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(2), pages 412-435.
    47. James C. Brau & Stanley E. Fawcett, 2006. "Initial Public Offerings: An Analysis of Theory and Practice," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(1), pages 399-436, February.
    48. Thang V. Nguyen & Ngoc T. B. Le & Nick J. Freeman, 2006. "Trust and Uncertainty: A Study of Bank Lending to Private SMEs in Vietnam," Asia Pacific Business Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(4), pages 547-568, October.
    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. Lin William Cong & Sabrina T. Howell, 2021. "Policy Uncertainty and Innovation: Evidence from Initial Public Offering Interventions in China," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(11), pages 7238-7261, November.
    2. Shenggang Ren & Yue Wang & Yucai Hu & Ji Yan, 2021. "CEO hometown identity and firm green innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(2), pages 756-774, February.
    3. Ren, Shenggang & Cheng, Yingmei & Hu, Yucai & Yin, Chao, 2021. "Feeling right at home: Hometown CEOs and firm innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    4. Azevedo, Alcino & Guney, Yilmaz & Leng, Jingsi, 2018. "Initial public offerings in China: Underpricing, statistics and developing literature," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 387-398.
    5. Xiaotang Zhang & Haili Zhang & Michael Song, 2019. "Does Social Capital Increase Innovation Speed? Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-22, November.
    6. Peng, Xuan & Wang, Xiongyuan & Chan, Kam C., 2019. "Does customer concentration disclosure affect IPO pricing?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 363-369.
    7. Andrikopoulos, Andreas & Merika, Anna & Merikas, Andreas & Sigalas, Christos, 2021. "Related party transactions and principal-principal conflicts in public companies: Evidence from the maritime shipping industry," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    8. San, Ziyao & Huang, Zhizhong & Zhou, Ling & Zhou, Zejiang, 2024. "Different lies to different audiences: Tax avoidance versus earnings inflation," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    9. Johansson, Anders C. & Luo, Danglun & Rickne, Johanna & Zheng, Wei, 2016. "Government Intervention in the Capital Allocation Process: Firm Employment as an IPO Selection Rule in China," Stockholm School of Economics Asia Working Paper Series 2016-40, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm China Economic Research Institute.
    10. Johansson, Anders C. & Luo, Danglun & Rickne, Johanna & Zheng, Wei, 2017. "Government intervention in the capital allocation process: Excess employment as an IPO selection rule in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 271-281.
    11. Sarah Tiba & Frank J. van Rijnsoever & Marko P. Hekkert, 2019. "Firms with benefits: A systematic review of responsible entrepreneurship and corporate social responsibility literature," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(2), pages 265-284, March.

    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. Bernard Yeung & Randall Morck & Daniel Wolfenzon, 2004. "Corporate Governance, Economic Entrenchment and Growth," Working Papers 04-21, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    2. Liu, Qigui & Luo, Tianpei & Tian, Gary Gang, 2015. "Family control and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 220-245.
    3. Christopher Hansen & Joern Block & Matthias Neuenkirch, 2020. "Family Firm Performance Over The Business Cycle: A Meta‐Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 476-511, July.
    4. Morck, Randall & Deniz Yavuz, M. & Yeung, Bernard, 2011. "Banking system control, capital allocation, and economy performance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 264-283, May.
    5. Kang, Hyung Cheol & Anderson, Robert M. & Eom, Kyong Shik & Kang, Sang Koo, 2017. "Controlling shareholders' value, long-run firm value and short-term performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 340-353.
    6. Breuer, Wolfgang & Knetsch, Andreas, 2022. "Informal authority and economic outcomes of family firms: An issue of national power distance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Chi, Yung-Ling, 2023. "The agency costs of family ownership: Evidence from innovation performance," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    8. Zhen Cao & Yulin Chen & Jianyu Zeng & Qunzi Zhang, 2022. "Political connection, family involvement, and IPO underpricing: Evidence from the listed non‐state‐owned enterprises of China," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(2), pages 105-130, May.
    9. Saghi-Zedek, Nadia & Tarazi, Amine, 2015. "Excess control rights, financial crisis and bank profitability and risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 361-379.
    10. Di Cai & Jin-hui Luo & Di-fang Wan, 2012. "Family CEOs: Do they benefit firm performance in China?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 923-947, December.
    11. Chandera, Yane & Utama, Cynthia Afriani & Husodo, Zaäfri Ananto & Setia-Atmaja, Lukas, 2018. "The co-insurance effect hypothesis and the cost of bank loans: Evidence from Indonesian pyramidal business groups," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 100-122.
    12. Khosa,Amrinder & Ahmed,Kamran & Henry,Darren, 2019. "Ownership Structure, Related Party Transactions, and Firm Valuation," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108492195, January.
    13. Mulyani, Evy & Singh, Harminder & Mishra, Sagarika, 2016. "Dividends, leverage, and family ownership in the emerging Indonesian market," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 16-29.
    14. Lee, Tingko, 2019. "Management ties and firm performance: Influence of family governance," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 105-118.
    15. Sihai Li & Huiying Wu & Xianzhong Song, 2017. "Principal–Principal Conflicts and Corporate Philanthropy: Evidence from Chinese Private Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 605-620, March.
    16. Lepetit, Laetitia & Saghi-Zedek, Nadia & Tarazi, Amine, 2015. "Excess control rights, bank capital structure adjustments, and lending," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(3), pages 574-591.
    17. Sabri Boubaker & Riadh Manita & Wael Rouatbi, 2021. "Large shareholders, control contestability and firm productive efficiency," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 296(1), pages 591-614, January.
    18. Saul Estrin & Martha Prevezer, 2010. "The Role of Informal Institutions in Corporate Governance: Brazil, Russia, India and China Compared," Working Papers 31, Queen Mary, University of London, School of Business and Management, Centre for Globalisation Research.
    19. Wang, Xiaoming & Cao, Jerry & Liu, Qigui & Tang, Jinghua & Tian, Gary Gang, 2015. "Disproportionate ownership structure and IPO long-run performance of non-SOEs in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 27-42.
    20. Randall Morck, 2011. "Finance and Governance in Developing Economies," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 3(1), pages 375-406, December.

    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:kap:jbuset:v:134:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s10551-014-2383-5. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.