Individualism, democracy, and contract enforcement

Brandon N. Cline and Claudia R. Williamson
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Claudia Williamson Kramer

Journal of Corporate Finance, 2017, vol. 46, issue C, 284-306

Abstract: We examine a potential link between culture and financial development by considering culture's influence on contract enforcement regulation. Specifically, we investigate the role of individualism in determining the variation in enforcement costs across countries. Individualism positively and significantly relates to efficient contract enforcement, an association that is independent of a particular political system. Interaction effects, however, suggest that democracy magnifies individualism's influence on the contract enforcement efficiency. These results provide insight into how culture can shape financial outcomes. It further suggests that culture serves as a constraint on policymakers, as any given policy or formal institutional structure will function very differently depending on the cultural environment.

Keywords: Contract enforcement; Culture; Financial regulation; Individualism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F55 K12 O17 Z10 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (18)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:corfin:v:46:y:2017:i:c:p:284-306

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2017.07.010

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