Abstract
This study examines if geographical variation in the dominant religion of a firm’s location is associated with corporate ownership structures as a governance mechanism to address agency conflicts within firms. We contrast two Christian faiths, Protestantism and Catholicism, which—despite theological similarities—have been associated with contrasting preferences for autonomy and reliance on trust. We address identification challenges by combining evidence from panel regressions, geographical regression discontinuity design, and instrumental variable estimation. We find that the local strength of Protestantism reduces ownership concentration. A subsequent analysis suggests that the local strength of Protestantism directly affects blockholder ownership, whereas the effect on shareholding size and insider ownership is indirect through trust.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
