Search results

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the gender composition of the board of directors of Malaysian initial public offering (IPO) companies. This study also examines the business case for having women on boards.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 228 IPO companies that went public during the period 1999‐2006, this study tracks the changes in the gender composition of these companies prior to the IPO year, IPO year and three‐year post‐IPOs. This study also tracks the changes in the gender composition between the pre‐IPO period and some 5 to 12 years later after the IPOs for a subsample of 89 companies that appear as top 500‐companies on the Malaysian Stock Exchange (Bursa Malaysia) in 2011. The compounded buy‐and‐hold returns method is used to measure the post‐IPO company performance.FindingsThis study finds that female representation as board of directors in 228 Malaysian companies prior to the IPO is only about 8 percent. This percentage is almost similar for the subsequent four years (IPO year and three‐year post‐IPOs). By using a subsample of 89 companies that appear as top 500‐companies in 2011, the percentage of female directors increases only 2.5 percent from the pre‐IPO year. However, the increment is not statistically significant. An extended analysis on the business case for women on boards reveals that greater percentage of female representation leads to lower long run underperformance. This underperformance is much lower for companies having more foreign ethnic female representation.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study suggest that there is still a long way to realize the benefits of having female directors in Malaysian companies. Malaysia needs to create an environment that realizes the benefits of having women in the top management levels.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the existing literature on gender especially in the context of IPO companies. This is the first comprehensive study on gender composition using Malaysian IPOs data. Prior studies on gender mainly focus on established listed companies.

This paper examines the ethnic profile of board members in 235 newly listed Malaysian companies at the time of public offerings during the period 1999 to 2006. Using Blau�s (1977) index of heterogeneity, this paper finds evidence of the existence of ethnic diversity among board members of these companies. Further analysis reveals that the boardrooms of the sample are dominated by the Chinese ethnic group that accounts for 57percent of board seats, followed by Malays, Indians and Others. Interestingly, on average, foreigners account for 7 percent of board seats. The results indicate that newly listed Malaysian companies are ethnically diversified.

PurposePresently, one of the major governance issues faced by management and shareholders of organizations is the gender composition of the boards of directors and audit committees. This study aims to examine the impact of gender diversity in audit committees on the accuracy of management earnings forecasts disclosure in initial public offering (IPO) prospectuses.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample comprises 190 Malaysian companies issuing IPOs that transformed into public companies during the period 2002-2012. Earnings forecasts accuracy (quality) is proxied by absolute forecast error and the study model is developed based on the frameworks of the signalling theory, the agency theory and the resource-dependence theory.FindingsThe study proposes that female directors introduce a set of specific features in the boardroom that serve to improve investor protection and efficient monitoring of management. However, findings reveal an insignificantly positive relationship between gender diversity in audit committees and absolute forecast error, which shows that more female directors in audit committees could translate into more errors and less accuracy in earnings forecasts.Practical implicationsConsidering the recent regulatory developments that encourage the number of women on the board of directors, the findings obtained have significant implications for policymakers. The study findings can also be invaluable to investors, investment analysts, market players and researchers.Originality/valueThe composition of the board of directors and audit committees in terms of gender plays a significant role in the promotion of effective corporate governance practices. This study is one of the pioneering studies that examines the advantages of gender diversity in the board of directors. It is also the first study to extend IPO literature by investigating the role of gender diversity in audit committees in the enhancement of accurate management earnings forecasts included in the IPO prospectuses.

The corona virus disease (COVID-19) is a dreaded threat to human beings today. This is because the virus has already killed millions of people without regard for who the person is. This article discusses the measures for the prevention of the spread of COVID-19, which have been implemented by the government and the social responsibility of people according to the Islamic perspective, based on the principles of maqasid sharicah. The benefits of prevention over treatment and screening tests for COVID-19 are also discussed, based on secondary information obtained from the mass media, books on religion and websites. This article finds that the prevention of the transmission of COVID-19 falls under the principle of al-Dharuriyat, which is to preserve life. It is the responsibility of the government to preserve the lives of the people to ensure that they can live in peace and tranquility. One of the measures implemented by the government is the imposition of the Movement Control Order (MCO). In this regard, complying with the instructions to always be at home is a social responsibility that needs to be adhered to, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is because prevention is always better than cure. Every individual is encouraged to undergo screening test at the designated health centres. Individuals tested positive for COVID-19 are quarantined and undergo rehabilitation in patient treatment units. Through these screening tests, the COVID-19 chain can be broken. The quarantine of patients is in line with the instructions of the Prophet SAW to separate positive COVID-19 patients from healthy people. ABSTRAK Pandemik virus corona (COVID-19) merupakan ancaman yang amat ditakuti oleh manusia pada masa kini. Ini kerana wabak berkenaan boleh meragut jutaan nyawa manusia tanpa mengira latar belakang dan keturunan. Artikel ini membincangkan tentang pencegahan penularan COVID-19 yang telah dilaksanakan oleh pemerintah dan tanggungjawab sosial menurut perspektif Islam, berdasarkan prinsip maqasid syaricah. Kelebihan pencegahan berbanding pengubatan dan ujian saringan sebagai pencegahan penularan rantaian COVID-19 juga dibincangkan. Perbincangan di dalam artikel ini adalah berdasarkan maklumat sekunder yang diperolehi daripada media massa, kitab-kitab agama dan laman-laman sesawang. Artikel ini mendapati pencegahan penularan COVID-19 adalah tergolong dalam prinsip al-Daruriyat, iaitu memelihara nyawa. Sebagai pemerintah, adalah menjadi tanggungjawab kerajaan memelihara nyawa masyarakat bagi memastikan rakyat hidup dalam keadaan aman dan tenteram. Salah satu tanggungjawab pemerintah yang telah dilaksanakan ialah dengan mengenakan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP). Manakala, mematuhi arahan untuk sentiasa berada di rumah merupakan tanggungjawab sosial yang perlu dilakukan bagi mencegah penularan COVID-19. Ini kerana mencegah jangkitan virus corona adalah lebih baik daripada berusaha untuk menyembuhkannya. Setiap individu digalakkan untuk membuat ujian saringan di pusat-pusat kesihatan yang telah disediakan. Manakala, individu yang didapati positif COVID-19 perlu dikuarantin dan menjalani pemulihan di unit-unit rawatan pesakit. Melalui ujian saringan tersebut pencegahan rantaian COVID-19 dapat direalisasikan. Kaedah pelaksanaan kuarantin ini adalah selari dengan arahan Rasulullah SAW supaya diasingkan pesakit yang positif COVID-19 dengan orang sihat

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review the current status of research works on corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) in both non-Asian and Asian countries. It seeks to provide an overview of existing literatures to facilitate future research.


Design/methodology/approach
The present study used the content analysis of 64 empirical research papers from 41 countries from 1990 to 2020 to show the rapid development of and global focus on CSRD. Various CSRD measures had been used in previous researches on the extent and quality of disclosure.


Findings
Company characteristics, namely, company size, age, profitability, industry, share price performance and corporate governance mechanisms and their impact on CSRD, were investigated. Crucial variances between the determinants of CSRD in non-Asian and Asian countries were also reviewed. In non-Asian countries, especially the advanced ones, specific stakeholders such as regulators, the environment, shareholders, ownership and media are considered very significant in the disclosure of CSR information. Meanwhile, in Asian countries, CSRD is more affected by external strength and stakeholders, which include international capital markets, creditors, the environment, international media and ownership.


Research limitations/implications
The determinants of CSRD, namely, community, workplace, environment and marketplace issues received very little pressure from the public. This paper suggests that there is a need for more studies examining CSRD in non-Asian and Asian (emerging) countries.


Social implications
Business organisations in non-Asian and Asian countries should take social practices into consideration in their CSRD decision-making. This review highlights the significance of merging organisational and social activities.


Originality/value
This study adds value by examining CSRD aspects that were not reviewed in previous studies on CSRD in non-Asian and Asian countries. This study provides a comprehensive review of the determinants of CSRD in both non-Asian and Asian countries.