How Corporate Governance and CSR disclosure affect Firm Performance?

Abstract

The study aims to provide empirical evidence of firm performance relation with board characteristics (Independent directors, Executive directors, and CEO duality), ownership structure (Managerial, State, and Foreign ownership) and CSR disclosure. The CSR disclosure by listed firms in developing countries has become a phenomenon during recent times. However, the type of CSR disclosure is still non-financial. However, it is an interesting topic for researchers to evaluate the performance of the firm in the presence of non-financial disclosure of CSR. Firm level panel data has collected for firms listed in KSE-100 index in Pakistan between 2012 and 2016. The study uses panel data analysis to estimate the models using firm size as a control variable. Results of the empirical research indicate that firms in the service industry are less disclosing the CSR, but such disclosure is positively related to firm performance. The authors find evidence that executive directors when engaging into CSR disclosure activities, it negatively and significantly impact the firm performance. The authors qualify the results regarding the CEO duality, independent directors, managerial ownership, state ownership and foreign ownership with impact on firm performance. Further, the results suggest that state ownership is influential in the service industry and negatively affect the firm performance. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge in developing countries context that how CSR non-financial disclosure, especially in the service firms, affect the firm financial performance. Future research should use cross-country analysis for assessing the models and examining the results across countries, industry, and sectors. From a practical perspective, the results may guide firms how to engage in CSR disclosure activities without hampering the firm performance while considering the other firm level factors. This study is extensively novel in all of its contents and contributes mainly to the literature of CSR disclosure and firm performance.