Governance mechanisms and regulation in the utilities: An investigation in a Taiwan sample

•We find that for all utilities sectors clarity of role is significantly negatively correlated with regulation.•Accountability and participation are significantly positively correlated with regulation.•Participation is the only governance mechanism that consistently predicts regulation across utilities sectors.

The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive power of each facet of governance mechanisms on regulation in a Taiwan sample. The sample consisted of 2518 employees from seven utilities sectors. The research found that for all utilities sectors clarity of role was significantly negatively correlated with regulation, while accountability and participation were significantly positively correlated with regulation. Moreover, participation was the only governance mechanism that consistently predicted regulation across utilities sectors.