Ending 'Too Big to Fail': Government Promises vs. Investor Perceptions

40 Pages Posted: 22 Oct 2012 Last revised: 17 Jun 2014

See all articles by Todd A. Gormley

Todd A. Gormley

Washington University in St. Louis; European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Simon Johnson

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Entrepreneurship Center; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Changyong Rhee

Asian Development Bank

Date Written: February 8, 2014

Abstract

Can a government credibly promise not to bailout firms whose failure would have major negative systemic consequences? Our analysis of Korea’s 1997-98 crisis, suggests an answer: No. Despite a general “no bailout” policy during the crisis, the largest Korean corporate groups – facing severe financial and governance problems – could still borrow heavily from households by issuing bonds at prices implying very low expected default risk. The evidence suggests “too big to fail” beliefs were not eliminated by government promises because investors believed that this policy was not time consistent. Subsequent bailouts confirmed the market view that creditors would be protected.

Keywords: Financial Development, Political Economy, Crisis

JEL Classification: E44, G18, K00, N20, P16, P17

Suggested Citation

Gormley, Todd A. and Johnson, Simon and Rhee, Changyong, Ending 'Too Big to Fail': Government Promises vs. Investor Perceptions (February 8, 2014). Review of Finance, Forthcoming, Asian Development Bank Economics Working Paper Series No. 314, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2165046 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2165046

Todd A. Gormley (Contact Author)

Washington University in St. Louis ( email )

One Brookings Drive
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HOME PAGE: http://www.gormley.info

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) ( email )

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Belgium

Simon Johnson

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) - Entrepreneurship Center ( email )

United States
617-253-8412 (Phone)
617-258-6855 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Changyong Rhee

Asian Development Bank ( email )

6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550
Metro Manila
Philippines

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