Role Of CEO Research Articles

Female leadership and earnings management in politically connected and family firms

ABSTRACT This study examines the role of female CEOs and CFOs in relation to earnings management in politically connected and family firms in Malaysia, utilising a unique dataset spanning 2016–2018. The results show female CFOs are associated with reduced earnings management in politically connected firms, potentially due to their risk-averse and ethical approach. However, no significant relationship is observed between female executives and earnings management in family firms, possibly due to entrenched dynamics and governance structures within these firms. The results are robust to potential self-selection bias and sub-sampling issues. Our findings support policies promoting female representation in corporate leadership, highlighting that female executives can enhance financial reporting quality in specific organisational contexts. HIGHLIGHTS Female CFOs are associated with reduced earnings management in politically connected firms. No significant relationship is observed between female executives and earnings management in family firms. The results are robust to potential self–selection bias and subsampling issues.

CEOs’ Perceptions of Loneliness in the Workplace: An Exploratory Study

Loneliness among CEOs is a topic that draws the attention of leadership experts, as it was suggested that it’s a less explored topic in leadership studies (Wright et al., 2023). The popular phrase “it’s lonely at the top” suggests that top managers frequently experience loneliness in their roles. Not having someone close to confide in is a challenge for many leaders at work (George, 2015). CEO loneliness can have negative effects both individually (e.g., health, well-being and stress) and organizationally (e.g., commitment, employee perceptions of the CEO and turnover) (Wright et al., 2023; Chen et al., 2021). The aim of this study was therefore to explore how CEOs perceived and experienced workplace loneliness; more specifically, we sought to identify what types of loneliness they encounter most often, what situations may trigger workplace loneliness, and how CEOs cope with loneliness in the workplace, in Norwegian organizational settings. Based on empirical results from 14 in-depth qualitative interviews with CEOs of small and medium-sized companies, it appeared they had experienced state loneliness at work and that none of them had reported trait loneliness. State loneliness often arose in situations such as confidentiality cases, decision-making processes and change management processes. Due to the nature of the CEO role, our participants stated that they often accepted the loneliness in the workplace as part of their role, which might suggest a potential coping strategy that they utilize. Other coping strategies that were found include disconnection techniques and the use of their support networks. Addressing this topic adds value to empirical research on leadership by raising awareness of the challenges of loneliness that business leaders in positions of power, specifically CEOs in a Norwegian cultural context, face in the workplace when performing their duties. It provides insight into the types of loneliness experienced, the situations that can trigger CEO loneliness, and how loneliness in the workplace can be addressed and mitigated.

Balancing Equity and Innovation of Japanese Corporate Governance

This paper critically examines Japanese corporate governance, evaluating its role as a benefit or constraint in achieving equity and efficiency. It contrasts Japan's stakeholder-oriented model, characterized by long-term stability and employee-centric management, with the shareholder-focused frameworks of the United States and the United Kingdom. The analysis focuses on the unique roles of CEOs in Japan, emphasizing their responsibility toward employee welfare over short-term financial gains. It further explores Japan's historical business structures, including Zaibatsu and Keiretsu, which foster interconnected corporate networks but limit flexibility and innovation. The relationship between firms and main banks within Keiretsu is analyzed, highlighting their role in financial oversight and stability. Additionally, the study addresses Japan's "Three Sacred Treasures" of labor-management relations—lifetime employment, seniority-based wages, and enterprise unions—as integral to its governance approach. Despite its strengths, Japan’s model faces challenges, including limited board independence and slow decision-making processes. Recent reforms aimed at increasing transparency and aligning with global governance standards are discussed, suggesting a shift toward a hybrid model that blends traditional stability with market responsiveness. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the evolving dynamics of Japanese corporate governance, offering insights into its impact on Japan’s global economic competitiveness.

Female CEOs and Green Innovation: Evidence from Asian Firms

This study aims to examine how female CEOs influence green innovation and whether firm size moderates this connection. Our paper focuses on CEOs, who are considered the strategic leaders of corporations, because of their crucial role in making important decisions. This research paper examines how female CEOs influence green innovation (GI) in the Asian industrial sector. The primary goal is to address these research questions: Do Asian industrial firms with female and male CEOs differ in their GI efforts? Is there a positive moderating influence of Asian industrial enterprises’ size on the nexus between women in CEO positions and eco-innovation? Based on our research questions, firm size is likely a determining factor in the GI of female CEOs. This research employs rigorous econometric modeling to analyze a substantial dataset of listed Asian industrial companies from 2013 to 2022. We have found a significant positive correlation between female CEOs and GI in Asian industrial firms. It has been proven that female CEOs in the industrial sector are more inclined to promote environmentally friendly practices. Furthermore, the size of an industrial firm amplifies the beneficial influence of a female CEO on the firm’s chances of engaging in GI initiatives. Regarding the moderating effect of size, the size of companies significantly magnifies the impact of female CEOs on GI. The effectiveness of female CEOs on environmentally friendly practices is more prominent in large corporations than in smaller ones. Our outcomes remain robust with respect to endogeneity issues using two-step GMM estimators. This study proposes that stakeholders, particularly in Asian countries, should promote the increased representation of females in CEO roles, particularly within large corporations. This is because women-led companies demonstrate superior performance in GI endeavors. Hence, regulators must establish policies that facilitate the participation of women in CEO positions within large-scale enterprises. These policies may strengthen the private sector’s capacity to foster sustainable innovation.

How the social dimension of ESG influences CEO compensation: Role of CEO and board characteristics

AbstractThis paper examines whether social disclosures impact CEO compensation considering various CEO and board controls. By categorizing CEO‐specific attributes into CEO duality, CEO academic diversity, and insider CEO, as well as including board size and board independence as board‐specific controls, the study tests their effects on CEO compensation. This research further explores whether board gender diversity moderates the association between social disclosures and CEO compensation. The paper uses a balanced panel dataset of 67 firms extracted from the NSE Nifty 100 ESG index and applies the panel‐corrected standard error (PCSE) model as a baseline methodology. The findings revealed that the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure score significantly impacted the CEO compensation, whereas social disclosure scores assessed independently failed to create a significant association with the same. Subsequent investigation also showed a significant positive relationship between the number of female directors on the board and CEO compensation. However, female directors on the board could not amplify the firm's social disclosure practices, leading to an insignificant impact on CEO compensation. While board independence, board size, ownership structure, and CEO duality significantly affected the above relationship, insider CEO status could not. Furthermore, robustness checks using the propensity score matching (PSM) and generalized method of moments (GMM) models were also conducted to test the validity of the above results. The findings of the work offer insights to help managers, organizations, and policy planners make decisions concerning women directors, social disclosures, and CEO compensation.

Can military-experienced CEOs improve corporate outcomes?

Purpose This paper aims to assess the role of CEOs with military experience in shaping corporate outcomes in Vietnam and provide new insights into how these unique backgrounds influence corporate financial decisions and firm performance within the specific context of an emerging market. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a comprehensive data set of 323 non-financial firms listed in Vietnam over 2013–2021 to examine the association between military-experienced CEOs and corporate outcomes. The authors apply propensity-score matching analysis to address potential endogeneity issues and use 2SLS estimation to show the mechanisms through which military CEOs affect firm performance. Findings The authors find that firms led by CEOs with military backgrounds outperform their counterparts lacking this experience. Furthermore, the findings indicate that firms helmed by military-experienced CEOs tend to make more investments and maintain lower (higher) short-term (long-term) debt levels. Practical implications This study provides additional evidence on the influence of military CEOs on corporate outcomes, particularly in the context of an emerging market. It underscores the positive effects of skills acquired during military service on veterans’ civilian careers, particularly in business leadership roles. The findings are valuable for managers contemplating the recruitment of veterans, highlighting the potential advantages these individuals can bring to a company. Additionally, the results may inspire younger individuals to consider military training as a means to develop valuable characteristics that can enhance their personal and professional development. Originality/value The authors have observed the notable success in firms led by CEOs with military backgrounds since Vietnam’s renovation period in the 1980s. Yet, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, research on the influence of military-experienced CEOs in Vietnam remains scarce. This study is the first pioneering in shedding light on the diverse contributions of soldiers to the development of the Vietnamese economy.

Compensation peer effects of corporate social responsibility

This article examines the role of CEOs' personal incentives in steering their firms' CSR initiatives following their compensation peers, subsequently influencing their career trajectories within their current firms. Specifically, we find that firms exhibit better corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance if their compensation peer (CP) firms demonstrated superior CSR performance in the prior year (i.e., the CP effect). To mitigate the endogeneity concern, we conduct analyses based on the termination (initiation) of CPs' peer relation with the focal firm, a benchmark test, and an instrumental variable analysis. To establish the mechanisms of internal monetary rewards from their firms and enhanced external career tournaments in the labor market, we show the CP effect is stronger if the focal company CEOs have compensation contracts specifying CSR performance targets, face a larger compensation shortfall relative to their CP counterparts, operate in closer geographical proximity to those CP CEOs, or hire more compensation consultants. Furthermore, we find that the probability and quantity of CSR contracts received by focal firms' CEOs increase with CPs' lagged CSR. CEOs receive higher compensation than those in CP firms after they deliver better CSR performance than their CPs. Overall, our paper highlights the role of CEOs' personal incentives in steering their firms' CSR initiatives, subsequently influencing their career trajectories within their current organizations.

Board gender diversity and employee productivity. The moderating role of female leaders

Drawing on the Motivational Role Modeling Theory and Critical Mass Theory, the main objectives of this paper are to analyze the impact of Board Gender Diversity (BGD) on Employee Productivity (EP) and to investigate the moderating role of a Female CEO or a Female Board Chair on this relationship in Social Economy companies. The methodology used is a fixed-effects regression with panel data for 1,914 Spanish Social economy companies in the agri-food sector from 2017 to 2021. Our findings uncover a non-linear relationship between BGD and EP displaying a descendent curvilinear pattern, though not strictly U-shaped. Moreover, we confirm the moderating influence of a Female Chair, noting that its presence shifts the relationship between BGD and EP from an inverted curvilinear pattern to a U-shaped one. In this context, the board requires a minimum presence of women, set at a critical mass of 13 %. However, the moderating impact of a Female CEO remains inconclusive. This research underscores the significance of investigating board diversity, specifically emphasizing female leadership in understanding the link between BGD and EP. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to explore the impact of BGD on EP by developing an integrated model based on Motivational Role Modeling Theory and Critical Mass Theory, and calculating the critical mass when a Female Chair is present on the board.

How does Confucianism influence green innovation? Evidence from China

ABSTRACT This study develops a model to explore the relationship between Confucianism and green innovation and the moderating effects of CEO overseas experience, female CEOs, and institutional fragility on this relationship. Based on data from 11,430 observations across 2,812 Chinese listed firms for the 2014–2019 period, we find that Confucianism has a positive impact on a firm’s green innovation. However, this effect is weakened by CEO overseas experience, female CEOs, and institutional fragility. Our study offers novel insights into how informal institutions, such as Confucianism, affect a firm’s green innovation. In addition, it provides a comprehensive framework for the theoretical understanding of the influence of Confucianism on green innovation by revealing the moderating roles of CEOs’ characteristics and institutional environment.

Organizational capital and stock performance during Crises: Moderating role of generalist CEO

This study examines the relationship between organizational capital (OC) and stock performance during the two recent crisis periods, namely the GFC and COVID-19. Economic crises highlight the sustainable competitiveness of firms, providing an opportunity to identify the role of OC. OC is intangible capital that encompasses intrinsic business processes and expertise, facilitating more efficient resource utilization than competitors. Results show that a greater OC is significantly associated with higher stock returns during both crisis periods. The association is robust to the models with firm-fixed effects and instrumental variables. In addition, we find evidence that generalist CEOs strengthen this relationship while specialist CEOs do not. This study emphasizes the pivotal role of OC as a protective buffer against external shocks, particularly during periods when the market pays more attention to corporate sustainability.

Does CEO guilt influence the adoption of employee welfare practices?

AbstractThis study examines the role of CEOs' guilt in adopting employee welfare practices (EWP). Using the context of privatization that is associated with large‐scale layoffs, we argue that witnessing the distress of laid‐off workers and their families causes CEOs to experience guilt for not doing enough to alleviate their suffering. The guilt, in turn, drives CEOs to engage in remedial actions of restitution that reflect positively on employee‐related practices. We find support for our idea in a sample of newly privatized firms from 31 countries. Our results show that CEOs' guilt positively influences the adoption of EWP among newly privatized firms. This effect is stronger in countries with collectivistic orientation and higher unemployment rates. Our findings suggest CEOs' values and emotions play an important role in business decisions concerning their employees. This perspective challenges the conventional view of business decisions as purely rational and profit‐driven, highlighting the importance of ethical and emotional considerations in decision‐making.

CEO hubris and corporate carbon footprint: The role of gender diversity

AbstractThis paper investigates the effect of an overconfident CEO on firm greenhouse gas emissions. Using panel data of 160,115 firm‐year observations from 41 countries for 2000–2021, we find a negative relationship between CEO overconfidence and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, drawing on the theories of gender socialisation and diversity, we find that great representation of females on the board further compels overconfident CEOs to reduce firm carbon emissions. Our findings are robust to varying estimation techniques and identification strategies. These findings offer important insights to green investors, corporate boards, managers and policymakers on the role of overconfident CEOs and female leadership in the carbon abatement efforts of public companies.

Does a CEO from a reputable university create a better working environment? Evidence from Indonesia

PurposeThis study aims to investigate whether CEOs who graduated from prestigious universities can provide a better-quality working environment.Design/methodology/approachUsing a sample of 1,877 observations from all companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2019–2021, this research employs logistic OLS and coarsened exact matching (CEM) analyses to ensure robust results.FindingsThis study revealed that companies with CEOs who are alumni of a reputable university provide a high-quality working environment. These results are robust using the coarsened exact matching (CEM). Additional analyses exploring subindicators of working environment quality revealed that CEOs who have received an education from a reputable university have a better understanding of the importance of continuous education and training.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can provide guidance for managers and decision-makers in managing human resources and the work environment more effectively. By understanding the impact of high-quality education on leadership abilities in creating a supportive work environment, companies can be more strategic in recruiting and developing their leaders.Originality/valueThis study provides a unique contribution by providing empirical data on the quality of the working environment in Indonesia, specifically focusing on the role of CEOs from a reputable university as policy-makers, which has not been extensively explored in previous research.

Collaborative Leadership Dynamics: Joint Evolution of Chair and CEO Roles at the Organizational Apex

Collaborative Leadership Dynamics: Joint Evolution of Chair and CEO Roles at the Organizational Apex

Communion then Agency: Women’s Ascension to the Hospital CEO Role

Communion then Agency: Women’s Ascension to the Hospital CEO Role

A Study of the Impact of ESG on Total Factor Productivity in a Dual-Carbon Context—Based on the Moderating Role of CEOs’ Overseas Experience

With the proposal of “peak carbon and carbon neutrality”, the attention given to sustainable development has been increasing both at home and abroad. Starting from the background of “dual-carbon”, this paper empirically analyzes the relationship between corporate ESG performance and total factor productivity through a fixed-effect model using the data of A-share listed companies in China from 2011 to 2021, and introduces the CEOs’ overseas experience as a moderator variable (the CEOs’ overseas experience is binary, and CEO performance is irrelevant) to analyze the mechanism of the impact of ESG performance on total factor productivity. The study found that good ESG performance of enterprises can significantly promote the improvement of total factor productivity, and CEOs’ overseas experience can positively regulate the promotion effect of ESG performance on enterprises’ total factor productivity. The conclusions of this paper provide theoretical support and practical references for guiding enterprises to practice ESG concepts, improving total factor productivity, realizing comprehensive green transformation, and upgrading and promoting high-quality economic and social development, as well as high-level construction of the ecological environment.

International entrepreneurship in innovative SMEs: Examining the connection between CEOs’ dynamic managerial capabilities, business model innovation and export performance

International entrepreneurship scholars aim to understand how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) achieve long-term competitive advantage and international success. This paper examines how business model innovation (BMI) helps entrepreneurial and innovative SMEs in improving export performance suggesting that changes in value creation, value delivery, and value capture are required to target international customers effectively. Additionally, drawing on the dynamic managerial capabilities literature, we look at the role of CEOs’ managerial capabilities on BMI. A quantitative study using partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was conducted on 189 innovative Spanish SMEs operating in business-to-business (B2B) international markets. Our findings provide new insights into the underexplored relationship between BMI and export performance generating new evidence regarding the mechanisms through which innovative SMEs may improve export performance. We also highlight the positive relevance of CEOs’ managerial social capital (external connectivity) and managerial cognition (empowering leadership) to foster BMI. Finally, managerial implications and future research directions are proposed.

Pengaruh Karakteristik Chief Executive Officer Terhadap Nilai Perusahaan di Indonesia

The aim of this research is to see the influence of CEO characteristics on company value. The population of this study is 825 companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2022. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. 578 companies were sampled in this study. Documentation techniques are used in data collection, the data is obtained via the www.idx.co.id page. The data analysis technique used is multiple linear regression. The research results show that gender, age and tenure have a significant effect on company value, while education and nationality do not have a significant effect. These results indicate that the role of female CEOs has a more positive influence in generating positive value for the company. Where investors feel confident that female CEOs will pay more attention to the results they achieve. These results also indicate that CEOs who have been in a leadership position in a company for a long time will be more careful in making decisions, where the longer a CEO has been in a company, the more the decisions taken will increase the value of the company in the eyes of investors and stakeholders. These result indicate that the age of a CEO has a significant negative effect on company value, where the older a CEO is, the more the company value decreases

CEO overseas experience and researchers’ wages

ABSTRACT Using data on Chinese listed firms from 2017 to 2022, we examine the effect of CEOs’ overseas experience on researchers’ wages. We find that CEOs’ overseas experience increases researchers’ wages. This finding remains valid after robustness tests and is prominent for state-owned enterprises, large firms, and firms with CEOs who have worked or studied in the U.S. We study the role of CEOs’ overseas experience in firms’ internal labour market and deepen our understanding of researchers’ compensation contracts.

Leading a Healthcare Organization During a Period of Social Change: A Qualitative Study of Chief Executive Officers.

In recent years, organizational leaders have faced growing pressure to respond to social and political issues. Although previous research has examined the experiences of corporate CEOs engaging in these issues, less is known about the perspectives of healthcare leaders. To explore the experiences of healthcare CEOs engaging in health-related social and political issues, with a specific focus on systemic racism and abortion policy. Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews from February to July 2023. CEOs of US-based hospitals or health systems. One-on-one interviews which were audio recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. This study included 25 CEOs of US-based hospitals or health systems. Almost half were between ages 60 and 69 (12 [48%]), 19 identified as male (76%), and 20 identified as White (80%). Approximately half self-identified as Democrats (13 [55%]). Most hospitals and health systems were private non-profits (15 [60%]). The interviews organized around four domains: (1) Perspectives on their Role, (2) Factors Impacting Engagement, (3) Improving Engagement, and (4) Experiences Responding to Recent Polarizing Events. Within these four domains, nine themes emerged. CEOs described increasing pressure to engage and had mixed feelings about their role. They identified personal, organizational, and political factors that affect their engagement. CEOs identified strategies to measure the success of their engagement and also reflected on their experiences speaking out about systemic racism and abortion legislation. In this qualitative study, healthcare CEOs described mixed perspectives on their role engaging in social and political issues and identified several factors impacting engagement. CEOs cited few strategies to measure the success of their engagement. Given that healthcare leaders are increasingly asked to address policy debates, more work is needed to examine the role and impact of healthcare CEOs engaging in health-related social and political issues.