Labor Power and Dividend Policy: International Evidence

On 26 March 2015 (Thursday), the School of Business and the Department of Accountancy were honoured to invite Professor In-Mu Haw, Honorary Professor, Department of Accountancy of Hang Seng Management College, to deliver a Distinguished Lecture on “Labor Power and Dividend Policy: International Evidence”. The research investigated how the relative legal strength of labor versus shareholders influences corporate payout policy. Using a sample of 246,689 firm-year observations from 42 economies, Professor Haw found that labor power is associated with significantly lower dividend payouts in weak shareholder protection countries. The study offered a new perspective on labor power and dividend policy. The presentation progressed very lively and attracted a lot of dynamic and interesting discussions. Participants were inspired by Professor Haw’s findings and insightful comments.