The Reaction of Investors to Protection against Conflicts of Interest during the Recession

Establishing a strong capital market system in a variety of situations, such as economic growth and recession, requires attention to a number of factors. The ability of shareholders in complaints against the mismanagement and management of managers and executives, or in other words, the ease of shareholders' petition, are among the factors that have prompted investors to maintain their interests against the assumptions of stewardship and representation theory in the era of recession is immune. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to respond to investors' protection against conflicts of interest during the recession.

Target sample consists of 176 of the listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange during 2011-2017. The research method was based on multiple regression and panel data model using ordinary least squares method.

The research findings suggest that the conflict of interests between the manager and the owner is negatively affected by the reaction of the investors, and investor protection has a direct effect on the investors' reaction. The other results of the research are that the positive effect of supporting the investor and the negative effect of the conflict of interests between the manager and the owner is reinforced by the reaction of investors in the period of the recession. Ultimately, the interaction effect of supporting the investor and the conflict of interests between the manager and the owner during the recession with the reaction of investors has a reverse effect.

Investors intuitively behave badly by inferring that the interests of the manager and the owner are not aligned, but as soon as they feel supported, they behave positively. This conclusion is repeated in the period of economic prosperity, but is intensified in the period of economic record.