• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.101-115
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• 2020

Electronic voting is one of information technology service to handle a wide range of functions, including registration, certification, input and results of voting, using electronic technology, depending on the degree of automation. It helps voters exercise their voting rights not only for individual suffrage but also for major corporate decisions as shareholders by expressing their opinions regardless of geographical and time constraints. Such electronic voting helps open and expand voting participation, but on the contrary, it is possible to identify who voted and what kind of vote, such voting cannot guarantee confidentiality. Therefore, if blockchain technology is applied to electronic voting, it can increase the speed of processing and confidentiality by encrypting voting information. In this regard, the study aims to identify institutional issues on how electronic voting can be activated at a company's shareholders' meeting, and to find ways to overcome the limitations of existing electronic voting by utilizing the technical characteristics of blockchain. This study proposes a consortium-type blockchain-based electronic voting system to enhance the convenience and reliability of electronic voting for shareholders' meetings. In addition, this paper suggests how to enhance shareholders' profits through electronic voting at shareholders' meetings, as well as its policy measures and future improvements.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.205-224
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• 2020

Purpose - This study aimed to identify the effects of ownership structures on agency costs in internationally diversified firms listed on the KOSDAQ market. Design/methodology/approach - A total of 5,824 samples were finally selected and empirically analyzed for a total of nine years from 2011 to 2019, during which the International Accounting Standards had been mandatory for firms listed on the KOSDAQ market. Findings - The results of this study showed that the effects of ownership structures on the ratio of asset turnover are positive for the major share and foreign equity ratios of international diversified firms. Moreover, by selecting the ratio of entertainment expenses as a proxy for agency expenses, this study confirmed that the effects of the ownership structure of an international diversified entity on entertainment expenditure were determined to show a significantly negative relation to entertainment expenditure, thus indicating that the higher the ratio of major shareholders, the more appropriately control the expenditure of entertainment expenses through arbitrary private deviations of the management.Furthermore, considering the effect of the ownership structure on the expenditure of sales and administrative expenses as a proxy variable for agency costs, this study verified that the majority share ratio of international diversified firms was negative to the expenditure of sales and administrative expenses, confirming that the higher the share of major shareholders, the lower the selling and administrative costs, but insignificant.Finally, as a result of determining whether the ownership structure of an international diversified firm affects the holding of free cash, the majority share of this firm shows a significantly negative relation to the ratio of the holding of surplus cash, indicating that the higher the proportion of major shareholders, the more appropriately control the holding of the entity's free cash through arbitrary private deviance by the manager. Research implications or Originality - Major shareholders of an internationally diversified firm listed on the KOSDAQ market play a positive role in the firm's performance by properly controlling agency costs that may be incurred by the management.

• East Asian Journal of Business Economics (EAJBE)
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.41-49
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• 2019

Purpose - This paper empirically investigates what factors contribute to corporate investments under financial constraint condition in the Korean stock market. In the paper, tangible assets' growth rate and fixed assets' growth rate were employed as investment performance and total assets were also used for comparison purpose. Research design and methodology - Samples are constructed by manufacturing firms listed on the stock market of Korea as well as those who settle accounts in December from 2001 to 2018. Financial institutions are excluded from the sample as their accounting procedures, governance and regulations differ. This study adopted a fixed panel regression model to assess the sample construction including yearly and cross-sectional data. Results - This results support the literatures that major shareholders showed positive significance to investment in financially unconstrained firms and no significance to investment in financially constrained firms. ROA showed positive significance to investment in financially unconstrained and constrained firms, whereas firm size showed negative significance to investment in financially unconstrained and constrained firms. Debt showed no positive significance to investment in financially unconstrained firms and negative significance to investment in financially constrained firms. Conclusions - This paper documented evidence that ROA and firm size are important factors to investment irrespective of firms' financial constraints. And this paper also supports that major shareholders give positive impact to investments in financially unconstrained firms. This means that financial constraints itself rule corporate' investment decision in financially constrained firms.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-25
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• 2004

From the perspective of corporate governance, we examine the acquirers' performance of mergers and acquisitions. The empirical results of our study show that outside active shareholders, such as block shareholders or institutional shareholders, affect acquirers' performance in M&A's : the ownership of outside active shareholders is positively correlated with the performance of acquirers. However, the ownership of insiders, such as that of encumbent manners or major shareholders, does not have any significant effect on the performance of M&A's. We also found that the ownership of foreign investors increased its explanatory power after the financial crisis of Asia. Since the current literature concludes that the improvement of corporate governance would enhance the shareholders' wealth, the results of our study implies that outside active investors, rather than insiders, are playing an important role in the corporate governance.

• Korean small business review
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.195-220
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• 2020

In this study, we examined the effects of major shareholder's holdings and foreign shareholder's holdings on capital structure with the samples of listed non-financial firms in KOSPI and KOSDAQ. More specifically, we conduct the data on 7,074 large firms and 2,394 SMEs(Small-Medium Enterprises) before and after the adoption of K-IFRS from 2002 to 2019. The main results can be summarized as follows. The results indicate that the adoption of K-IFRS affects the capital structure of large firms more than SMEs. The major shareholder's holdings and the foreign shareholder's holdings of the large and SMEs listed on the KOSPI and the KOSDAQ market have a significant effect on the leverage ratio. It can be seen that major shareholders of large firms and SMEs reduce the leverage ratio by recognizing the use of debt as financial risk. In addition, it can be seen that regardless of whether or not K-IFRS is adopted, foreign shareholders recognize the use of debt as financial risk and reduce the leverage ratio in order to reduce the investment risk.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.83-89
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• 2023

Purpose: Research on spin-off and treasury stock is necessary because the market has realized that this can be utilized for major shareholder private interest. Considering the unique characteristic of a spin-off and treasury stock in the Korean stock market, this study contributes to the literature by examining the effects on shareholder value in the Korean distribution industry. Research design, data, and methodology: The present study investigates literature, analyst reports, and news articles to examine the spin-off process and analyze how treasury stock magic happens. Results: Setting the exchange ratio favoring Spin-Co in the spin-off is the leading cause for reducing the minor shareholders' value. Moreover, treating treasury stock as an asset is also problematic, allowing the allocation of Spin-Co shares. This leads to an increase in the major shareholder controls of Spin-Co without any contribution from the major shareholders. Therefore, the exchange ratio should be calculated reasonably, and treasury stock from the stock repurchase should be treated as stock retirement. Conclusion: By analyzing the spin-off and how treasury stock magic occurs, this study provides recommendations to improve shareholder value. Moreover, it contributes to the maturation of the Korean capital market by promoting a discussion on the revision of spin-off and treasury stock.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.53-58
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• 2022

Purpose: Controlling and minority shareholders sometimes have conflicting interests. Controlling shareholders who do not have adequate monitoring can exhibit a strong tendency to maximize their personal wealth. In this case, cash holdings can be the easiest means for them to pursue their personal interests. This study examined whether the largest shareholder's ownership proportion affected the speed at which firms adjust their cash holdings to target levels in Korean distribution and service companies. Research design, data, and methodology: The study uses regression analysis to examine 834 firm-year samples listed on the KOSPI between 2013 and 2018 in the distribution and service sectors. Results: The largest shareholder's ownership is positively related to a firm's cash holdings adjustment speed. That is, the larger the largest shareholder's ownership, the faster the firm adjusts its cash holdings to achieve the target level. Conclusions: This study contributes to the literature by providing evidence that the cash holdings adjustment speed in Korean service and distribution companies is affected by the largest shareholder's ownership. As the agency problem between controlling and minority shareholders in Korea is a major issue, minority owners' sensitivity to agency costs may help restrict controlling owners' ability to maximize their personal wealth.

• The Korean Journal of Financial Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.31-62
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• 2010

This paper analyzes empirically how analysts' forecasts affected by ownership structure. This study examine a sample of 1,037~1,629 the analysts' forecasts of firms registered in Korean Stock Exchange in the period from 2000 to 2006. The empirical results are summarized as follows. First, from the analysis, companies which have higher major shareholder's holdings tend to increase earnings forecast errors and earnings forecast accuracy. Meanwhile, companies which have higher institution shareholder's holdings tend to decrease earnings forecast errors and earnings forecast accuracy. This result is in line with the view of previous works that companies with higher major shareholder's holdings look towards more of analysts' optimistic forecasts in order to maintain friendly relations with major shareholders. Because of analysts' private information use from major shareholders, earnings forecast accuracy is higher in high major shareholder's holdings firm than in high institution shareholder's holdings it. Second, this analysis is whether the minimal required selection condition of outside directors, audit committee adoption and audit quality affect the relation between ownership structure and analysts' forecasts. This result is that variables related corporate governance do not affect statically the relation between ownership structure and analysts' forecasts. The meanings of this paper is to suggest the positive relations between ownership structure and analysts' forecasts. After this, if analysts will notice forecasts of more many firms, capital market will be more efficient and this field works are plentiful. Also it will need monitoring systems not to distort market efficiency by analysts' dishonest forecasts.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.131-148
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• 2023

Purpose - Since the 2020s, the management philosophy of Chinese firms' ESG has been rapidly established under the leadership of the Chinese government. We empirically analyze the ESG characteristics and effects on corporate value of Chinese firms. Design/methodology/approach - Using OLS and random effect panel regression analysis, we identify ESG determinants. In analyzing the impact on corporate value, likewise a large number of literatures, we adopt a 2SLS methodology using instrumental variables in the reason of endogeneity between ESG and firm value. We analyze using the G2SLS methodology, which is improving the efficiency of the estimation coefficients along with 2SLS. Findings - We find that ESG ratings are high in state-owned and foreign capital invested companies, ESG ratings are low in companies with a high proportion of non-floating stocks which implies information asymmetry. However, there are no significance in the institutional investor's, the major 10 largest shareholders' and manager's ownership. Furthermore, we can support most of the hypotheses that ESG ratings will be high in companies with high management performance. ESG ratings are significantly higher in companies with high ROA, rich in cash asset, low debt ratio, and large size. we strongly support the hypothesis that the higher the ESG rating, the higher the firm value, and ESG has a moderating effect on state-owned companies, non-floating shares, the ownership of institutional investors, manager, and the 10 major shareholder. In particular, state-owned companies, the proportion of non-floating shares, and the ownership of the 10 major shareholders have a negative impact on firm value, however, ESG attenuates this negative effect. Research implications or Originality - This study looks forward to enhancing our understanding of ESG characteristics in East Asia.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.8
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• pp.451-459
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• 2020

This study aims to examine the relationship of the four factors that increase the protection of minority shareholder investment. The factors are non-controlling shareholders, corporate governance, free cash flow, and shareholder wealth. The data for this study is obtained from the 2017 annual reports of 136 Thai public companies listed in the Market of Alternative Investment of Thailand (MAI). The analysis uses a multiple regression model to determine which factors encourage and which inhibit the protection of minority shareholder investment. The study tests four hypotheses. The results rejected H1 because non-controlling shareholders have negatively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta -0.155 and p-value 0.050). The results accepted H2, H3 and H4 as follows. H2: corporate governance has positively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta 0.17 and p-value 0.031). H3: free cash flow has positively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta 0.214 and p-value 0.007). H4: shareholder wealth has positively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta 0.318 and p-value 0.000). The major findings suggest strong minority shareholder investment protection was enhanced by increasing corporate governance, free cash flow and shareholder wealth. The protection of minority shareholder investment needs to reduce non-controlling shareholding pattern.