Ying-Chieh Wang, Zhi-Yuan Feng, Yu-Te Lien, Sharon. S. Yang
{"title":"Does Societal Trust Influence Corporate Debt Maturity? International Evidence","authors":"Ying-Chieh Wang, Zhi-Yuan Feng, Yu-Te Lien, Sharon. S. Yang","doi":"10.1111/infi.70021","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div>\n \n <p>This article analyses data from 26 countries to examine the effects of societal trust levels on corporate debt maturity. Empirical evidence shows that companies operating in countries with higher societal trust exhibit longer debt maturities. The study also investigates the moderating role of investor protection on the relationship between societal trust and debt maturity, particularly focusing on the effectiveness of legal institutions, legal strength, and political stability. The results reveal that firms in countries with stronger investor protections experience a more pronounced positive impact of societal trust on debt maturity. Additionally, the study addresses potential endogeneity issues, firm fixed effects, and self-selection biases to ensure that the results are consistent and reliable.</p>\n </div>","PeriodicalId":46336,"journal":{"name":"International Finance","volume":"29 1","pages":"186-204"},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Finance","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/infi.70021","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/1/12 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"BUSINESS, FINANCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
This article analyses data from 26 countries to examine the effects of societal trust levels on corporate debt maturity. Empirical evidence shows that companies operating in countries with higher societal trust exhibit longer debt maturities. The study also investigates the moderating role of investor protection on the relationship between societal trust and debt maturity, particularly focusing on the effectiveness of legal institutions, legal strength, and political stability. The results reveal that firms in countries with stronger investor protections experience a more pronounced positive impact of societal trust on debt maturity. Additionally, the study addresses potential endogeneity issues, firm fixed effects, and self-selection biases to ensure that the results are consistent and reliable.
期刊介绍:
International Finance is a highly selective ISI-accredited journal featuring literate and policy-relevant analysis in macroeconomics and finance. Specific areas of focus include: · Exchange rates · Monetary policy · Political economy · Financial markets · Corporate finance The journal''s readership extends well beyond academia into national treasuries and corporate treasuries, central banks and investment banks, and major international organizations. International Finance publishes lucid, policy-relevant writing in macroeconomics and finance backed by rigorous theory and empirical analysis. In addition to the core double-refereed articles, the journal publishes non-refereed themed book reviews by invited authors and commentary pieces by major policy figures. The editor delivers the vast majority of first-round decisions within three months.