Corporate Governance Characteristics Research Articles

Board composition, audit committee characteristics, and R&D expenditure

We examine the impact of board members’ expertise, chief financial officer (CFO) board membership, and audit committee characteristics on the level of research and development (R&D) expenditure. Using a sample of listed companies from 16 European countries over the period from 2014 to 2020, multivariate regression models and controls for endogeneity, our results show that firms with a CFO who serves as a board member reduce R&D expenditures, while enhanced board expertise has the opposite effect. We also find that audit committee financial expertise is positively associated with the level of R&D spending, while the independence of audit committee members reduces the propensity of firms to exhibit R&D expenditures. These results contribute to the academic and policy debate by offering novel insights into which combinations of corporate governance characteristics are more likely to affect variations in the level of R&D expenditure among firms.

The influence of Italian board characteristics on environmental, social and governance dimensions

PurposeThis study explored how board diversity affects environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in the Italian banking sector. Specifically, this study examined whether the presence of specific corporate governance (CG) characteristics (board diversity) in Italian Cooperative Credit banks is related to ESG dimensions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors examined a sample of 247 Italian Cooperative Credit banks for the period 2017–2021 and developed an econometric model by applying unbalanced panel data with firm fixed effects and controls per year. To verify the research hypotheses, the authors analyzed board diversity in terms of board attributes variables (size, gender diversity, age, activity, independence and corporate social responsibility/sustainability committee (CSR) and measured ESG dimensions using the ESG score provided by Refinitiv.FindingsThe findings suggest that board size, independence and the existence of a CSR/sustainability committee positively affect banks' ESG performance, while no significant relationship between board average age and ESG performance was found. The study also explored how the critical mass of women on a board affects ESG performance by testing the positive impact of gender diversity on ESG dimensions only up to a certain threshold of female directors.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is highly relevant to managers and investors who consider ESG issues in their decision-making processes. The findings support regulators by offering insights into ways to improve ESG performance through the specific design and application of governance mechanisms.Practical implicationsFrom a practical perspective, this investigation has implications for both practitioners and regulators, suggesting that chief executive officers (CEOs) and managers should pay more attention to CG aspects to improve ESG performance and that policy-makers should give greater consideration to these aspects of CG in their efforts to enhance ESG performance.Originality/valueThis study offers an in-depth analysis of banks' ESG practices and attempts to bridge the gap in the literature on ESG in the Italian banking industry. This study is the first to investigate the relationship between CG variables and ESG dimensions in this context.

CSR performance and firm idiosyncratic risk in a data-rich environment: The role of retail investor attention

In the Chinese stock market, there are many retail investors who focus on short-term profits and may consider corporate social responsibility (CSR) differently from institutional investors. We find that CSR significantly reduces firms’ idiosyncratic risk in the Chinese financial market. This result still holds after a series of robustness checks with potential endogeneity concerns. We further test the role of CSR as a nonfinancial informational supplement, the interplay of CSR with stock analyst forecasts and the effect of heterogeneity in corporate governance characteristics. Finally, we find that retail investors’ attention mediates the relationship between CSR and firms’ idiosyncratic risk. Our results have general implications for understanding the impact of CSR on retail investors.

Corporate governance and performance of state-owned enterprises in a least developed economy

Purpose: The main objective of the study was to investigate how corporate governance affects the performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in a least developed economy.Design/methodology/approach: Both primary and secondary data from nine state-owned companies that operated between 2001 and 2016 were analysed in the study. The investigation used a quantitative methodology. Fixed effects, random effects and generalised method of moments (GMM) estimations were used to conduct regression analysis.Findings/results: The findings show that corporate governance characteristics affect SOE performance in a least developed economy. The performance of SOEs is influenced favourably by board structures, director tenure, reduced government ownership and leverage. Conversely, increased state ownership leads to subpar performance. The study also reveals that the presence of civil servants and directors with political affiliations in government-controlled companies has a negative effect on enterprise value.Practical implications: The use of multiple case studies to investigate SOEs in their natural setting has given some insights for both professional managers and policymakers interested in developing corporate governance frameworks to improve SOEs value in least developed economies, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, even though the results are limited in terms of statistical generalisation because the study was based on a single country.Originality/value: The study fills a gap in the literature about how SOE performance is affected by corporate governance in least developed nations, where such research is underdeveloped.

Is the role of shareholder activism in corporate governance overestimated?

Shareholder activism has become a prominent feature of corporate governance recently. Therefore, I collected 3,159 estimates from 78 empirical studies investigating the shareholder activism-return relationship to scrutinize the effect of shareholder activism on the firm’s returns. I find the effect of shareholder activism is often exaggerated; the literature attributes excessive importance to activism both in the short- and the long-run. For example, the abnormal returns caused by hedge fund activism and direct negotiations are often overestimated. This is, however, not the case with proxy fights, which I found to be the most abnormal-returns-creating activism approach.

The relationship between corporate governance and financial performance in the Islamic and conventional banking industries: a Malaysian evidence

Purpose This study aims to investigate the relationship between corporate governance characteristics and the financial performance of both Islamic and conventional banks in the context of an emerging market, i.e. Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach This study includes 300 bank-year observations from Islamic and conventional banks over the period 2010–2021. The dynamic panel model (generalized method of moments [GMM]) was considered the primary estimation model that solves simultaneity, endogeneity and omitted variable problems as most governance variables are endogenous by nature. Hence, static models are considered biased after conducting the DWH test of endogeneity, and considering dynamic panel GMM is valid proven by Sargan and Hensen and first-order (ARI) and second-order (ARII) tests. Findings Based on the regression results, the authors discovered that board size, female participation in the board and director remuneration have a significant positive impact on bank performance, whereas board meetings have a significant negative impact. Furthermore, the board governance structure of commercial banks is found to be more passive than that of Islamic banks. Practical implications The study’s findings added a new dimension to governance research, which could be a valuable source of knowledge for policymakers, investors and regulators looking to improve existing governance mechanisms for better performance of conventional and Islamic banks. Originality/value The goal of this study is to add to the existing literature by focusing on the impact of female board participation and other board governance mechanisms in both conventional and Islamic banks on bank performance.

Corporate governance in SMEs: a systematic literature review and future research

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the corporate governance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through a systematic literature review.Design/methodology/approachThe review was conducted by analyzing 19 published studies in the field, leading to the identification of 14 journals and 40 authors. The relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and various aspects of SMEs’ performance was analyzed. The characteristics of corporate governance were classified into five categories: board, ownership, CEO, audit and age.FindingsThe review found a direct relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and various aspects of SMEs’ performance, including innovation, internationalization, auditing and risk of failure. The study also highlights the need for future research to adopt a behavioral perspective, to shift focus from identifying responsibilities to examining governance processes and to use nonlinear models and qualitative methods to effectively analyze the interrelated nature of the phenomena under study.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the review include the limited number of studies available for analysis, as well as the fact that most of the empirical research was based on evidence from European countries, with only a few papers focusing on other countries, such as the USA, China and Ghana.Originality/valueThe results of this review provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners in the field of corporate governance in SMEs. The findings provide a foundational basis for further research in the area and highlight the need for future studies to adopt a behavioral perspective and use nonlinear models and qualitative methods.

THE EFFECT OF GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND COMPANY CHARACTERISTIC ON ENVIROMENTAL DISCLOSURE

This study aims to examine the effect of good corporate governance and company characteristics on environmental disclosure. Good corporate governance is represented by the variable size of the board of commissioners, independent commissioners, and the audit committee. Meanwhile, company characteristics are represented by size and age variables. This research is a quantitative research. The data taken is secondary data. The data in this study were obtained using library research. The population in this study are companies listed on the BURSA EFEK INDONESIA (BEI) in the period 2015 - 2020. The research sample taken is companies that are included in the natural resources sector and collected using purposive sampling method. A total of 6 companies were determined as the research sample. The data analysis method in this study uses a statistical scientific approach. The analytical method used is multiple regression analysis consisting of classical assumption test (normality test, multicollinearity test, heteroscedasticity test, and autocorrelation test) and hypothesis testing (coefficient of determination, t test, F test). The results of this study indicate that the adjusted R2 value is 98.9% which means that the environmental disclosure variable can be explained by the five independent variables, namely the board of commissioners (DK), independent commissioners (KOMIN), audit committee (KOAU), size (SIZE), and age (AGE). The results of the t-test of this study indicate that: the board of commissioners, independent commissioners, audit committees, size, age have a positive effect on environmental disclosure. While the results of the F test from this study prove that the board of commissioners, independent commissioners, audit committee, size, age have a simultaneous effect on environmental disclosure.

Assessment of ESG practices in banks listed in [B

We sought to analyze whether the corporate governance characteristics of the Board of Directors (BoD), the capital structure, and the economic and financial performance of the firms influence the adoption of Environmental, Social, and Governance Policies (ESG) by banking institutions listed on the Brasil Bolsa Balcão [B]3. To this end, 24 banks listed in [B]3 were analyzed, via annual data made available from 2013 to 2020, in the Thomson Reuters® database and on the [[B]3 website, mainly through the analysis of Reference Forms of the institutions studied. To analyze the results, the Tobit regression model was estimated, using as a dependent variable the ‘assessment of ESG practices’, measured by an index ranging from 0 (for firms without ESG practices and/or without ESG assessment in the Refinitiv® database) to 100 (firms with best ESG practices) and, for independent variables, characterizations of banking firms and BoD, capital structure, and economic-financial performance indicators were used. Based on the results, it was noted that the size of the banks and the gender diversity of the BoD presented positive and significant statistics, demonstrating that larger banks with more women on the board tend to maintain ESG best practices. On the other hand, negative and significant statistical relationships were observed between the issuance of American Depositary Receive (ADRs), the number of independent Board members, and Board Interlocking (B.I.) practices and ESG best practices. However, the study contributes to the literature with the understanding of ESG events of Brazilian banks and with the regulatory demands of the Central Bank of Brazil as a result of the rules with requirements of Social and Environmental Responsibility by the regulatory body, as well as with the demands of stakeholders and the market for best ESG practices of banks.

Corporate Governance Characteristics and Financial Reporting Disclosures of Listed Industrial Goods Firms in Nigeria

This study examined the impact of corporate governance attributes on financial reporting disclosure in listed industrial goods firms operating in Nigeria. The study spanned nine years, from 2013 to 2021, and utilized data extracted from the firms' annual reports and accounts. Generalized Method of Moment was employed, which has a technique of data analysis. The study revealed that board non-executive directors had a positive but insignificant effect on financial reporting disclosure, while board remuneration had a negative and significant effect. The study further revealed that audit committee expertise and institutional ownership have a positive and significant effect on financial reporting disclosure. However, audit tenure had a negative significant effect on financial reporting disclosure. The study's findings suggest that corporate governance attributes have a significant impact on financial reporting disclosure and that policymakers, regulatory bodies, and companies should prioritize certain attributes towards improving financial reporting practices. In particular, the study recommended that the industrial goods firms in Nigeria should ensure that they have audit committees comprising members with relevant financial expertise. By doing so, companies can improve the accuracy of their financial reporting and improve transparency, which in turn can increase investor confidence and support decision-making.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STRATEGIC PERFORMANCE AS A SIGNIFICANT STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT TO PROMOTING PROFITABILITY: A STUDY IN UAE

The aim of this study is to objectively investigate how board size, firm size, and firm age impact the financial performance of organizations listed in Dubai. A quantitative technique was employed using a sample of 40 non-financial firms listed on the Dubai Stock Exchange for the fiscal year 2022. This selected group of businesses is expected to provide valuable data to achieve the study's objectives and address the relevant research questions. The results of the research shed light on the relationship between the variables of interest through data analysis and statistical testing. It was found that the size of the board has minimal to no influence on the financial performance of the sampled companies. However, the study revealed a significant and positive correlation between company age and size and firm performance, as measured by ROA. It suggests that as businesses develop over time and increase in size, they tend to demonstrate higher levels of profitability. These findings emphasize the importance of considering factors other than board size when examining the connection between corporate governance characteristics and firm performance. Other organizational attributes, such as age and size, exert a more substantial influence on financial performance, even if board size may not be a significant driver. Within the context of Dubai-listed companies, these findings provide valuable insights into the nature of corporate governance and its impact on firm performance. The results of this study underscore the need for a comprehensive understanding of corporate governance processes and their effects on financial outcomes.

Market value and related party's transactions: a panel data approach

PurposeThis research aims to examine the impact of RPTs and board of directors' characteristics on the market value of Indian listed banks. Further, this study evaluates the moderation effect of board composition on the association between RPTs banks’ market value.Design/methodology/approachThe sample size consists of 38 banks listed on Bombay stock exchange. The current study is based on secondary data for ten years from 2010 to 2019. Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) was used for estimating the results.FindingsSubsidiary transactions, board of directors' size, composition, diligence, promoters, remuneration and banks' size and leverage have a significant impact on the market value of Indian listed banks. Further, board of directors' composition positively moderates the association between RPTs and banks value measured by Tobin's. Furthermore, corporate governance characteristics have a significant impact on RPTs measured by total RPTs and all subsidiary transactions.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is limited only to listed banks whose data are available in the ProwessIQ database, which makes it difficult to generalize the findings on other unlisted banks. This research helps policymakers, investors and creditors to categorize RPTs into different groups to identify the harmful and beneficial once to the bank. The findings suggest that policymakers, investors and creditors should not consider all key personal transactions as harmful transactions; instead, the policymakers, investors and creditors should consider all subsidiary transactions as harmful in the absence of independent directors.Originality/valueThe present study contributes to the existing literature on RPTs by evaluating the interaction effect of board composition on the association between related party transactions and banks' value. Further, this research focuses on the financing industry; Indian banks, which has not been sufficiently researched in comparison to the non-financing industries.

Firms’ characteristics, corporate governance, and the adoption of sustainability reporting: evidence from Gulf Cooperation Council countries

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of new sustainability reporting (SDG) and external assurance (EXTA) practices. This study also examines the relationship between sustainability reporting activity and corporate economic performance for a sample of 99 companies in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries that addressed SDGs in their sustainability reports published in 2019.Design/methodology/approachUsing a two-stage analysis, this study examines how firms’ characteristics and corporate governance variables affect SDG and economic performance, as well as the firm’s decision to adopt EXTA statements for a sample of companies in that addressed SDGs in their sustainability reports published in 2019. The authors collected data from the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Sustainability Disclosure database and the Bureau van Dijk for Orbis database.FindingsThe results show that the variables firm size, profitability, big 4 auditors and government ownership significantly affect SDG and economic performance. The results also reveal that firms operating in the manufacturing sector are positively correlated with SDG and the firm’s decision to adopt EXTA statements. Furthermore, the results indicate that board independence positively affects SDGs and EXTA.Research limitations/implicationsThe results can be particularly relevant and timely in helping large GCC companies promote their engagement to sustainable development practices by adopting more sustainable long-term strategies and policies. The findings could also guide managers in the strategic direction to identify firms’ characteristics and corporate governance features essential to promote sustainability reporting, an increasingly important performance indicator for investors and to enhance their confidence in the capital market. The results may also have practical implications to policymakers and other regulators in GCC countries to define effective frameworks that promote sustainable development reports and the use of EXTA.Originality/valueThe results make significant contributions by providing new insights to the existing literature on sustainability reporting in emerging markets by examining a unique perspective on the influence of firms’ characteristics and corporate governance features on the adoption of new sustainability reporting practices. The authors further add to the previous literature on the relationship between a firm’s economic performance and sustainable reporting by providing evidence from large companies in GCC countries, which might benefit from the adoption of multiple conceptual lenses, in this case, legitimacy and stakeholder theories. Lastly, through the empirical findings, this study provides economic validity to the 2018 joint initiative of the GRI and the United Nations Global Compact to strengthen corporate actions to achieve the United Nations SDGs.

The agency of greenwashing

As climate change increasingly challenges business models, the disclosure of firm environmental performance casts growing attention by corporate stakeholders. This creates wider opportunities and incentives for greenwash behaviors. We propose a novel set of measures to capture greenwashing and we investigate the association between greenwashing and corporate governance features that traditionally mitigate agency problems. We show that board characteristics are variously associated with the apparent degree of corporate greenwashing. Firms with more independent directors tend to greenwash more, the presence of female board directors seems to have a positive impact on the degree of greenwashing, while the effect of board size on greenwashing remains ambiguous. Importantly, we find that greenwashing reduces firm value.

Implementation of Good Corporate Governance in Public Hospitals in Indonesia: Systematic Literature Review Approach

The purpose of this study was to conduct a thorough literature review to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the implementation and characteristics of good corporate governance in public hospitals. In February of 2022, a comprehensive evaluation of research findings published between 2018 and 2022 was conducted for this study. This study analyzed 51 documents after the screening procedure, of which 12 were relevant and 39 were irrelevant. The findings of this study indicated that the growth of hospital governance in Indonesia is primarily tied to patient satisfaction and hospital performance. In these studies, variables such as transparency accountability responsibility, independence, and impartiality are frequently mentioned, but organizational culture is also a crucial aspect of hospital governance. This study also identified the factors that facilitate or impede hospital governance implementation in Indonesia, particularly in public hospitals. Uncertainty in the regulations and laws regulating the implementation of public/government hospital governance is one of the contributing factors. Improving the implementation of hospital governance is crucial for improving the efficacy of Indonesian hospitals. By casting light on the key characteristics and challenges of hospital governance, the study provides valuable insights that can assist policymakers, healthcare administrators, and other stakeholders in enhancing corporate governance practices in public hospitals.

Corporate governance, enforcement institutions and corporate liquidity in the MENA region

Purpose The study examines the effects of corporate governance and countrywide institutions and risk factors on corporate liquidity.Design/methodology/approach Using firm-level data, the authors analyze the effect of corporate governance and various economic, regulatory and social institutions on the liquidity of firms operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The authors use fixed-effects, firm-specific and country-level controls, disaggregated analysis, sensitivity and endogeneity analysis to test the robustness of the estimates.Findings The corporate governance characteristics of firms influence in diverse ways their liquidity decisions. The independence and diversity of the board and institutional ownership are especially strong predictors. The effect also depends on the size of the firm and the degree of economic development and exhibits time sensitivity and nonlinearity. Enforcement institutions and risk factors play a strong role.Originality/value The analysis contributes to the literature by using a large sample of countries and firms over a larger period, distinguishing between poorer and richer countries and using sensitivity and endogeneity analysis. The analysis considers explicitly the role of regulatory and enforcement conditions, social structures and religious beliefs.

Varieties of capitalism and income inequality

Why do countries diverge significantly in the levels of income inequality across the Global North? Most scholars believe that the answer lies in the ways that economic resources are organized through institutions. Drawing on a country-level, longitudinal dataset from 1985 to 2016 matched with three other data sources, the author explains how and to what extent institutions matter for income inequality across the “varieties of capitalism.” To sort countries based on their institutional similarities, the author conducts cluster analysis and examines the extent to which institutions predict variation in the levels of income inequality, both cross-nationally and within each cluster of countries. In cross-national, panel data regressions, strong evidence is presented that labor market interventions such as vocational rehabilitation programs as well as characteristics of corporate governance are important determinants of income inequality.

Corporate Governance Characteristics and Discretionary Accruals Among Non-Financial Firms Listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange

Corporate Governance Characteristics and Discretionary Accruals Among Non-Financial Firms Listed in Nairobi Securities Exchange

Board of Directors' characteristics and environmental SDGs adoption: an international study

AbstractDrivers of environmentally conscious firm behaviour have gained increasing attention over past decades. The Board of Directors holds a central role in corporate decision‐making, and previous empirical evidence suggests that its characteristics could influence corporate environmental performance. This paper contributes to the literature with the first evidence of the influence certain board characteristics have on whether a firm ultimately supports one or more environmental SDGs. Our focus is on board size, gender diversity, board independence and CEO duality. Logistic and fractional regressions on 4417 globally listed firms highlight that board size, the share of female directors, and the share of independent directors are significant drivers of support for environmental SDGs. The results and insights revealed in this study should be helpful to policymakers, investors and corporations in evaluating the effectiveness of corporate governance characteristics and fostering corporate contributions to the 2030 Agenda.

Corporate Governance Characteristics and Intangible Asset Disclosure: A Study on Selected Companies

This study investigates the impact of corporate governance features (size of the Board, independency of the Board, frequency of meetings, gender diversity) on intangible asset disclosure in the top Indian automobile sector companies listed under the NSE 500. The results demonstrate that the overall impact of the corporate governance attributes on intangible asset disclosure is significant and positive. Nevertheless, at the individual level, board size and firm size positively and significantly influence intangible asset disclosure. Further, the independent directors and Board meetings negatively and significantly impact intangible asset disclosure.