Do Foreign and Domestic Venture Capital Firms Differ in Their Monitoring of Investees

Abstract

This paper addresses an important omission in the venture capital literature by comparing the monitoring behavior of foreign and domestic venture capital firms (VCs). Evidence from 31 VCs in India (84% response) shows foreign VCs were significantly more likely than domestic VCs to be involved at the strategic level while domestic VCs were significantly more active at the operational level. Foreign VCs placed significantly more emphasis on restrictions on additional borrowings. Domestic VCs placed significantly more emphasis on specifying certain accounting policies while foreign VCs placed significantly more emphasis on monthly management accounts. Domestic VCs place significantly more emphasis on industry specialist board membership.