Corporate governance determinants: the firm-level evidence from transitional country, Ukraine

Abstract

This paper attempts to empirically investigate the determinants of choices of corporate governance practices by corporations in a transition market. The study offers firm-level evidence benefiting from unique financial and governance data on Ukraine. In particular, we analyze the factors that affect overall level as well as individual elements of corporate governance. We consider such governance elements as shareholder rights, transparency, board independence, chairman independence and ownership. Overall we found that regulatory, industry and firm level factors are important, which is consistent with previous literature for other countries. Combining our results with the results of Zheka (2006)3 we conclude that it is possible for the government to implement and enforce better corporate governance practices in the economy that would make Ukrainian enterprises more attractive for foreign investment.

Keywords

• Corporate governance
• shareholder rights
• transparency
• information disclosure
• board
• ownership
• ownership structure
• transition
• trust
• ethnic diversity
• religion