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1 – 4 of 4Shanthy Rachagan and Elsa Satkunasingam
SMEs are essential to economic growth in Malaysia and many emerging economies as they are a major source of employment and contribute towards the gross domestic product. It is…
Abstract
Purpose
SMEs are essential to economic growth in Malaysia and many emerging economies as they are a major source of employment and contribute towards the gross domestic product. It is therefore imperative that the corporate governance practices of SMEs are enhanced by assurance that appropriate monitoring occurs and procedures are in place. This study aims to address this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The concentration of ownership in Malaysian companies results in less protection for minority shareholders. This is because the laws protecting minority shareholders mainly focus on director/shareholder conflicts and are not suited to companies with concentrated shareholdings, especially where the conflict is commonly seen between the majority and minority shareholders. Furthermore, owing to the levels of power distance, collectivism and assertiveness in Malaysia, shareholders are unlikely to litigate. The research was carried out through case analysis and analysis of extant literature and existing laws in Malaysia, to illustrate that the minority shareholders in the concentrated shareholding SMEs are not well protected.
Findings
The paper finds that current prohibitive models of law are not desirable as they have promoted compliance with the letter but not the spirit of the law.
Research limitations/implications
The study focuses only on SMEs that have been incorporated.
Practical implications
The study enables minority shareholders to reduce fraud and self‐dealing by the majority through more direct participation in corporations, reliance on procedural protections to balance business flexibility and application of brightline rules which stand a better chance of compliance by those who understand them.
Originality/value
The self‐enforcing model is a non‐adjudicative mechanism of enforcement which requires substantial compliance with procedural requirements and aims for voluntary compliance. It proposes that minority shareholders and independent directors hold veto powers, thus reducing fraud and self‐dealing.
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Keywords
The paper aims to focus on diverse ownership structures, especially the controlling shareholder system and their impact on corporate governance.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to focus on diverse ownership structures, especially the controlling shareholder system and their impact on corporate governance.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper deliberates the agency problems in concentrated shareholder‐listed companies in general which are related transactions involving controlling shareholders, significant corporate actions, and control transactions. The paper further studies agency issues in Malaysian‐listed companies specifically relating to government‐linked companies and family‐owned companies.
Findings
The paper identifies agency problems in concentrated shareholding‐listed companies which are government linked or family owned and then provide solutions to overcome these problems.
Originality/value
Specific agency problems in Malaysian‐listed companies and solutions to overcome them are presented in this paper.
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Keywords
Sakthi Mahenthiran, Jane Lai Yee Terpstra-Tong, Robert Terpstra and Shanthy Rachagan
This Malaysian study aims to use upper echelons theory and social identity theory variables to determine the chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics and attitudes associated…
Abstract
Purpose
This Malaysian study aims to use upper echelons theory and social identity theory variables to determine the chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics and attitudes associated with economic corporate social responsibility (CSR), legal-ethical CSR and discretionary CSR in Malaysian firms. The authors hypothesize that CSR engagements in the form of altruistic behaviour, with executives being part of the upper echelon, would tend to be expressing their values at individual level through the firm if they are affectively committed to their company.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 151 Malaysian firms that took part in an annual CEO survey in 2010, the study measures executive citizenship as CEOs’ having critical attitude towards public issues such as public transportation, public education and crime. Hierarchical regression analyses are used to associate the CEO attitudes with the firms CSR.
Findings
The authors find that executive citizenship attitude is significant and positively related to firm’s legal–ethical CSR. The authors also find that executive organizational commitment has a significant positive impact on dimensions of CSR. Additionally, the executive tenure impacts the level of philanthropic CSR of the firm.
Originality/value
In Malaysia, firms have a strong incentive to engage in CSR to enhance their reputation and legitimacy because of the government’s influence on commercial activities. Our study is the first to examine how this notion of legitimization efforts at the individual level affects firms CSR activities.
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Mohammadreza Akbari and Robert McClelland
The purpose of this research is to provide a systematic insight into corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate citizenship (CC) in supply chain development, by analyzing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to provide a systematic insight into corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate citizenship (CC) in supply chain development, by analyzing the current literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps for future discipline research.
Design/methodology/approach
This research identifies information from existing academic journals and investigates research designs and methods, data analysis techniques, industry involvement and geographic locations. Information regarding university affiliation, publishers, authors, year of publication is also documented. A collection of online databases from 2001 to 2018 were explored, using the keywords “corporate social responsibility”, “corporate citizenship” and “supply chain” in their title and abstract, to deliver an inclusive listing of journal articles in this discipline area. Based on this approach, a total of 164 articles were found, and information on a chain of variables was collected.
Findings
There has been visible growth in published articles over the last 18 years regarding supply chain sustainability, CSR and CC. Analysis of the data collected shows that only five literature reviews have been published in this area. Further, key findings include 41% of publications were narrowly focused on four sectors of industry, leaving gaps in the research. 85% centered on the survey and conceptual model, leaving an additional gap for future research. Finally, developing and developed nation status should be delineated, researched and analyzed based on further segmentation of the industry by region.
Research limitations/implications
This research is limited to reviewing only academic and professional articles available from Emerald, Elsevier, Wiley, Sage, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Scopus, JSTOR and EBSCO containing the words “corporate social responsibility”, “corporate citizenship” and “supply chain” in the title and abstract.
Originality/value
This assessment provides an enhanced appreciation of the current practices of current research and offers further directions within the CSR and CC in supply chain sustainable development.
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