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Capitalizing on risk: how financial flexibility, investment efficiency and institutional ownership shape risk-taking dynamics

Capitalizing on risk: how financial flexibility, investment efficiency and institutional ownership shape risk-taking dynamics
Capitalizing on risk: how financial flexibility, investment efficiency and institutional ownership shape risk-taking dynamics

In this study, we test the influence of financial flexibility [FF] on corporate risk-taking [RT], a crucial aspect of firm strategy and performance. In the volatile financial landscape of emerging markets like China, understanding how FF affects risk behavior is essential. Using data from 3571 Chinese listed firms spanning 2014 to 2023, we address this gap by exploring how FF impacts RT and the moderating roles of investment efficiency [INE] and institutional ownership [INO]. Our study employs dynamic panel generalized method of moments [GMM] and a new bias-corrected method of moments to offer robust insights. We find a significant positive correlation between FF and RT. Additionally, IE and INO significantly moderate this relationship, with RT notably amplified when FF exceeds industry- and year-adjusted averages. Interestingly, during exceptional periods, such as the COVID-19 crisis, the impact of FF on RT becomes insignificant. This study offers novel insights into the role of FF, IO and INE in risk management and provides valuable policy recommendations for stakeholders navigating high-risk investments.

financial flexibility, institutional ownership, investment efficiency, risk-taking
1059-0560
Bagh, Tanveer
1abfab69-b816-4e83-a23b-e0d0f4f43b90
Hunjra, Ahmed Imran
92e83140-adfc-418b-bd93-ee4ad97a6e22
Ntim, Collins G.
1f344edc-8005-4e96-8972-d56c4dade46b
Naseer, Mirza Muhammad
72217a75-26aa-4428-940a-45d88ca0ce65
Bagh, Tanveer
1abfab69-b816-4e83-a23b-e0d0f4f43b90
Hunjra, Ahmed Imran
92e83140-adfc-418b-bd93-ee4ad97a6e22
Ntim, Collins G.
1f344edc-8005-4e96-8972-d56c4dade46b
Naseer, Mirza Muhammad
72217a75-26aa-4428-940a-45d88ca0ce65

Bagh, Tanveer, Hunjra, Ahmed Imran, Ntim, Collins G. and Naseer, Mirza Muhammad (2025) Capitalizing on risk: how financial flexibility, investment efficiency and institutional ownership shape risk-taking dynamics. International Review of Economics and Finance, 99, [104068]. (doi:10.1016/j.iref.2025.104068).

Record type: Article

Abstract

In this study, we test the influence of financial flexibility [FF] on corporate risk-taking [RT], a crucial aspect of firm strategy and performance. In the volatile financial landscape of emerging markets like China, understanding how FF affects risk behavior is essential. Using data from 3571 Chinese listed firms spanning 2014 to 2023, we address this gap by exploring how FF impacts RT and the moderating roles of investment efficiency [INE] and institutional ownership [INO]. Our study employs dynamic panel generalized method of moments [GMM] and a new bias-corrected method of moments to offer robust insights. We find a significant positive correlation between FF and RT. Additionally, IE and INO significantly moderate this relationship, with RT notably amplified when FF exceeds industry- and year-adjusted averages. Interestingly, during exceptional periods, such as the COVID-19 crisis, the impact of FF on RT becomes insignificant. This study offers novel insights into the role of FF, IO and INE in risk management and provides valuable policy recommendations for stakeholders navigating high-risk investments.

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Accepted/In Press date: 15 March 2025
e-pub ahead of print date: 17 March 2025
Published date: 19 March 2025
Keywords: financial flexibility, institutional ownership, investment efficiency, risk-taking

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 499961
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/499961
ISSN: 1059-0560
PURE UUID: 5d1b26cc-252f-4f6d-952f-c20a5eee21f4
ORCID for Collins G. Ntim: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-1042-4056

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 09 Apr 2025 18:55
Last modified: 22 Aug 2025 01:27

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Contributors

Author: Tanveer Bagh
Author: Ahmed Imran Hunjra
Author: Collins G. Ntim ORCID iD
Author: Mirza Muhammad Naseer

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