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The effect of political connections on companies’ performance and value: Evidence from Tunisian companies after the revolution

Anis Maaloul (School of Administrative Sciences, TELUQ University of Quebec, Quebec, Canada)
Raïda Chakroun (Department of Accounting, Higher Business Studies Institute at Carthage (IHEC), University of Carthage, Carthage, Tunisia)
Sabrine Yahyaoui (Department of Accounting, Higher Business Studies Institute at Carthage (IHEC), University of Carthage, Carthage, Tunisia)

Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies

ISSN: 2042-1168

Article publication date: 8 May 2018

983

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of companies’ political connections (PCs) on their financial and stock performance, as well as on their market values.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of non-financial companies listed on the Tunis Stock Exchange (TSE) between 2012 and 2014 was used. The accounting and financial data of these companies were obtained from their financial statements, whereas data on PCs of their officers and directors were collected manually from various sources. Correlation and multivariate regression analyses were performed to test the hypothesis of this research.

Findings

The results showed that PCs improve companies’ performance and value. These results could be explained, on the one hand, by the benefits and favors that companies can get from their political ties and, on the other hand, by investors’ tendency to invest in politically connected companies to benefit from these advantages.

Research limitations/implications

The limited number of non-financial companies listed on the TSE is a limit for this research.

Practical implications

The results show that investment in companies which are politically inter-connected may be beneficial for investors, and especially for small minority shareholders.

Social implications

The results confirm that political links are essential for business success in emerging economies, such as Tunisia. However, the positive link between politics and business might highlight the issue of corruption after the revolution.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of PCs on the performance and value of Tunisian companies after the 2011 revolution.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

In this study, the authors target no businessman or politician, no political party, no business, and no officer or director. The objective of this study is purely academic and scientific.

Citation

Maaloul, A., Chakroun, R. and Yahyaoui, S. (2018), "The effect of political connections on companies’ performance and value: Evidence from Tunisian companies after the revolution", Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 185-204. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAEE-12-2016-0105

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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