Corporate Governance Quality, Incentive Factors and Voluntary Corporate Governance Disclosures in Annual Reports of Malaysian Publicly Listed Companies

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between corporate governance quality and voluntary disclosure of corporate governance information for listed companies in Malaysia. The moderating impacts of incentive factors (capital market transactions and stock-based incentives) on this relationship are also examined. Corporate governance quality is measured using a comprehensive index. The empirical evidence of this study is broadly consistent with the notion that high corporate governance quality is positively related to a greater extent of voluntary disclosure. Stock-based compensation significantly influences the relationship between corporate governance quality and voluntary disclosures; however the other incentive factors examined do not appear to influence the relationship.

Keywords: Corporate Governance Quality, Voluntary Disclosure, Incentive Factors, Malaysia