Does managerial myopia promote enterprises over-financialization? Evidence from listed firms in China

PLoS One. 2024 Sep 5;19(9):e0309140. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0309140. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the potential shortsightedness of enterprise managers through annual reports. Additionally, we use corporate financial statement data to measure enterprises over-financialization in terms of resource allocation. After testing with a causal inference model, we find that firms with managerial myopia significantly contribute to over-financialization. It remains robust even after the instrumental variable of whether the manager has experienced a famine is used. Furthermore, financial distress and financing constraints amplify the inclination of short-term-focused managers to amass greater financial assets.

MeSH terms

  • China
  • Commerce / economics
  • Financial Management*
  • Humans

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the [National Social Science Fund of China] under Grant [22VRC007]; [Institute of Food and Strategic Reserves, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics] under Grant [ BSZX2023-07]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.