Firm-level political risk and corporate investments in the hospitality and tourism industry: The moderating role of asset tangibility and corporate governance quality

Abstract

Firms in the hospitality and tourism (HT) industry need to continuously make capital investments to sustain their long-term growth. These investments occur under varying conditions, including levels of political risk. Hence, this study examines the effects of firm-level political risk on corporate investments of 251 U.S. HT over the period 2002–2022. It further explores the moderating role of asset tangibility and corporate governance. Using fixed-effect regression analyses, the study finds that firm-level political risk negatively impacts corporate investments in the HT industry. Results reveal that asset tangibility and ownership concentration help mitigate the negative effect of firm-level political risk, while institutional ownership exacerbates this negative effect. Given that corporate investments are the backbone of the sustainable growth of HT firms, this research provides important implications for policymakers and practitioners in their attempts to reduce the negative effect of political risk on corporate investments.