This paper aims to analyse how effective the role of institutional shareholders is in corporate governance by examining the association between the different types of institutional shareholders and earnings management. Many prior studies have investigated the nature of several corporate governance practices and mechanisms and how they exist to strengthen institutions, however, there have been questions related to the role of governance failures in preventing unethical behavior by top management. The recent financial and accounting scandals that have engulfed major financial companies in the United States and other developed countries have renewed the interest in corporate governance issues and the role of shareholders. This study provides critical reviews of the theoretical and empirical literature on the inter-relationship between different types and composition of shareholders and influences on corporate governance outcomes. We evaluate what we can say with confidence about the interaction between ownership structures and corporate governance. Overall, there is a consensus among researchers that institutional investors and other outside blockholders vote more actively on corporate governance amendments than non-blockholders to enhance profitability and market valuation of firms.