Proactive environmental management and performance by a controlling family

2014 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Chun Huang ◽  
Ying-Jiuan Wong ◽  
Min-Li Yang

Purpose – This study examined how proactive environmental management affects firm performance and whether a controlling family moderates this effect. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The study adopted content analysis to collect data on listed Taiwanese firms and used cross-sectional regression analysis to examine the relationship between proactive environmental management and firm performance as well as the moderating role of a controlling family. Findings – The results indicated that not all types of proactive environmental management are positively associated with firm performance and that a controlling family might be more effective in low-risk proactive environmental management practices. Research limitations/implications – The focus was on the impact of proactive environmental management from the perspective of stockholders. Future research could investigate its impact on other stakeholders as well. Practical implications – The findings might convince managers that the stereotype of an environment-friendly firm – that the more its green initiatives, the less competitive it becomes – may not necessarily be true. Investing in product-focused pollution prevention could increase revenues and improve performance. Even though process-focused pollution prevention is negatively associated with firm performance, companies are not expected to reduce investment in green processes since they are required for the production of environment-friendly products. Originality/value – This study adopted a multi-dimensional approach to reveal how different types of proactive environmental management affect firm performance. The authors used the controlling family as a moderating variable to determine whether it moderates the relationship between proactive environmental management and firm performance.

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 588-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Famiyeh ◽  
Ebenezer Adaku ◽  
Kwasi Amoako-Gyampah ◽  
Disraeli Asante-Darko ◽  
Charles Teye Amoatey

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between environmental management practices (EMP) and competitive operational performance with respect to reduced cost, improved quality, improved flexibility and improved delivery as well as overall environmental performance, of firms, using data from a developing country. Design/methodology/approach The study employed a survey approach with responses from 164 informants from different industries and used partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between EMP and competitive operational performance and their overall impact on the environmental performance of firms. Findings The results indicate that EMP by firms have a significant positive effect on firms’ competitive operational performance. Again, firms’ competitive operational performance has a partial positive effect on the overall environmental performance. It was also realized that the EMP initiated by a firm have a direct positive impact on the overall environmental performance of the firm. Research limitations/implications There is the need for organizations to take steps to plan and implement EMP since it is likely to enhance their competitive operational performance as well as their overall environmental performance. Practical implications The findings demonstrate the impact of EMP on competitive operational performance as well as on the overall environmental performance of firms. This is important as firms struggle with balancing investments in those practices against the perceived benefits that might be obtained from the practices. Originality/value The work provides insights and adds to the literature in the area of EMP and firm performance by providing evidence from a developing country environment. This study is among the few that have investigated the impact of EMP on firm performance in developing country environments.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Changli Feng ◽  
Ruize Ma ◽  
Lin Jiang

PurposeWith the rise of service economy, many companies are attempting to gain a competitive advantage through service innovation. However, the existing research has not drawn consistent conclusions about the relationship between service innovation and firm performance. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to provide a quantitative review on the service innovation-performance relationship based on research findings reported in the extant literature.Design/methodology/approachStudies from 46 peer-reviewed articles were sampled and analyzed. A meta-analytic approach was adopted to conduct a quantitative review on the relationship between service innovation and firm performance, and the effects of any potential moderators were further explored.FindingsThe results found that service innovation has a significant positive impact on firm performance. Additionally, the relationship between service innovation and firm performance is influenced by measurement moderators (economic region and performance measurement), and contextual moderators (firm type, innovation type, customer factors and attitudes toward risk).Originality/valueThe meta-analysis has been used to explore the relationship between service innovation and firm performance, and the findings have contributed to the literature on service innovation, as well as providing future research directions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 395-415
Author(s):  
Souha Siala Bouaziz ◽  
Ines Ben Amar Fakhfakh ◽  
Anis Jarboui

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the relationship between shareholder activism and earnings management on the market performance of French companies. Design/methodology/approach This study used 385 firm-year observations drawn from a sample of French companies belonging to the SBF 120 index from 2008 to 2012. Data was collected from annual reports of sample companies. To measure earnings management, this study used the model of Raman and Shahrur (2008). The relationship between shareholder activism, earnings management and market performance using the panel data regression model was empirically examined. Findings The results prove that shareholder activism, as indicated by shareholder proposals, has no impact on market performance. However, the existence of shareholder activism affects the market performance positively. In fact, a minimum of proposals proves that shareholder activism plays an appropriate and effective role in creating value. Thus, several activists would resort to “a private activism” which could be the best and the least expensive form. This form of activism is called “behind the scenes.” Findings also show that earnings management has a negative impact on market performance. As a matter of fact, these findings allow to conclude that the firm performance decreases whenever managers undertake to earnings management. Also, earnings management behavior is mainly opportunistic. Finally, the relationship between shareholder activism and earnings management has no impact on market performance. This result reveals that shareholder activism proves to be an ineffective mechanism that does not alter the accounting choices, particularly in relation to earnings management. This result shows the inability of active shareholders to define and implement strategies across their proposals, namely, “the lack of monitoring competence.” Research limitations/implications It is important in future research to evaluate the impact of behind the scenes interventions on corporate governance. Also, this paper gives a larger dimension to the effect of shareholder activism on the market performance in the specific context of earnings management, thus justifying the need to expand this study using other methodologies to deepen and better understand this relationship in this context. Practical implications The paper's evidence contributes to an understanding of corporate governance. The finding of this study will help in monitoring and controlling fraudulent earnings management practices that effect on market performance. Further, this study is important to investors, academics and policymakers, as it demonstrates that governance reforms that encourage firms to adopt better governance practices that reduce the likelihood of earnings management. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper pioneers in focusing on the impact of the shareholder activism and earnings management on the market performance because previous studies put more emphasis on pair-wise relations (Shareholder activism-earnings management, earnings management-market performance and shareholder activism-market performance). This study provides empirical evidence on the effectiveness of the relationship between shareholder activism and earnings management on market performance.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Li ◽  
Helen Roberts

Purpose This paper aims to examine the relationship between board independence and firm performance for publicly listed New Zealand (NZ) firms over the period 2004-2016. Design/methodology/approach To address endogeneity concerns, the relationship between firm performance and board independence is modelled using three different approaches: firm fixed-effect estimation, difference-in-difference estimation and two-stage least squares estimation, while controlling for firm and governance characteristics. Findings The main finding is that the mandated board independence introduced by the Best Practice Code does not improve operating or market performance for listed NZ firms. Research limitations/implications The fact that NZ firms choose greater board independence than required is puzzling. Research examining director characteristics and connectedness, not captured by the NZX Code, may be a fruitful area for future research when disclosure allows. Practical implications Regulators may need to review reasons for mandating changes in factors affecting firm governance before implementing further regulations concerning board structure. Social implications The findings cast doubt on the benefit of mandated board independence for NZ firms. The results imply that “good” governance practices proposed by regulators are not universal. Originality/value This paper tests the impact of mandated board independence following the adoption of the Best Practice Code in 2004 using methodologies that account for endogeneity using 13 years of data.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siriwan Kitchot ◽  
Sununta Siengthai ◽  
Vatcharapol Sukhotu

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the relationships among supply chain management (SCM) implementation, human resource management (HRM) practices and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) firm performance in Thailand. It further examines whether HRM practices have a mediating effect on such relationship. Design/methodology/approach A survey instrument was developed based on the literature review which then was verified by SCM expert opinions. Cross-sectional surveys of sample employees of SMEs in Thailand were undertaken by both direct and mail surveys. Of about 779 questionnaires distributed, 203 usable questionnaires were returned. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to analyze the obtained data. Findings The statistical results reveal that SCM indirectly improves firm performance of small- and medium-sized firms through HRM practices. The latter, HRM practices, is found to fully mediate the impact of SCM implementation on SME firm performance. These results suggest that SCM cannot enhance SME firm performance if its implementation is undertaken without effective HRM practices. Originality/value This study identified the research gap in SCM areas by recognizing the scarcity of research on SCM in SMEs and by identifying and integrating HRM practices as a significant behavioral support system to SCM implementation in SMEs. Its results reveal that HRM practices fully mediates the impact of SCM on SMEs’ firm performance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 140-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Kei Tse ◽  
Minhao Zhang ◽  
Pervaiz Akhtar ◽  
Jill MacBryde

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the antecedents of firm’s supply chain agility (SC agility) and how SC agility impacts on firm’s performance. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a comprehensive literature review, a conceptual model was proposed, in which the interrelated hypotheses were tested by structural equation modelling methodology using a dataset collected from 266 Chinese electronics firms. Findings – Initially, it was found that SC integration and external learning positively influenced SC agility. Second, the results indicated that firm’s performance is positively impacted by SC agility. Moreover, SC agility also fully mediated the effect of SC integration on firm’s performance and the effect of external learning on firm’s performance. Research limitations/implications – The generalizability of this research sample might be the major limitation of this study. Therefore, future research can adopt other industry sectors samples, such as automobile manufacturing, or other country samples to validate the research model. Practical implications – This research outlines strategies for better preparedness to achieve SCs to be agile which is a core competency of electronic firms in emerging market. Findings reveal that the external coordination practices – external learning and SC integration – are important factors of SC agility. In addition, the findings contribute to understanding the important role of SC agility in improving firm’s performance. Originality/value – This research examines the impact of two antecedents (i.e. SC integration and external learning) on SC agility and is the first empirical research to analyze the mediation effect of SC agility on the relationship between SC integration and firm performance and the relationship between external learning and firm performance.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 133-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gundeep Kaur Virk

Purpose In light of frequent corporate scams and frauds, this paper aims to investigate the relationship of corporate illegality with the board of directors’ characteristics in Indian manufacturing companies. Design/methodology/approach The board of director characteristics of sample companies charged with violation of the Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulations from 2008 to 2013 are matched to an equivalent-sized control data set. A cross-sectional logistic regression model is applied to test the hypothesized association. Findings The findings suggest that the SEBI violations are less likely to occur when a large fraction of the board of directors consists of independent directors and when the individual directors have multiple appointments on the boards of other companies. However, it is observed that the size of the board and its meetings have no observable association with violation of the SEBI regulations. Research limitations/implications This work is likely to aid future research in exploring the impact of governance mechanisms on the occurrence of illegality. In future, studies may be conducted to investigate the probability of illegal corporate events using a larger sample size and corporate governance variables which have not been examined in the present study. Practical implications The analysis provides corporate policy makers and investors an insight to evaluate the vulnerability of a company being engaged in illegality based on its board features. Originality/value The present study is distinct from previous reports as it makes a novel attempt to gauge the relationship between the board of directors’ characteristics and the occurrence of illegality in the Indian corporate section.


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamanna Abdul Rahman Dalwai ◽  
Rohaida Basiruddin ◽  
Siti Zaleha Abdul Rasid

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate existing studies on the relationship of corporate governance with firm performance in different regions and address the need for similar analysis for the Gulf Coperation Council (GCC) sector. The banking sector comprises the conventional and Islamic banks in the GCC sector and is important due to their ability to bring stability to this region. Existing studies that measure the relationship of GCC sector conventional banks and firm performance are limited. This study proposes a need for future research on corporate governance in the GCC region. Design/methodology/approach – This paper will review and analyze the different empirical and theoretical contributions in establishing the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. Findings – This paper will create a focus for future research of measuring the impact of corporate governance mechanism on firm performance. The regulators will be encouraged to focus on more research studies for the GCC sector development in the field of corporate governance of the banking sector. Research limitations/implications – The existing studies are valid and practicable for the region under study, and the results need not be applicable for other business environments. In addition, the evolving business and economic environment have always brought about inconsistent conclusions; thus, the period of study can always give varied results. Practical implications – The analysis undertaken in this paper will address the literature gaps for the GCC banking sector and play an instrumental role for future studies by theoreticians and regulators. Originality/value – This paper identifies the literature gaps for the GCC region and analyses the most applicable existing studies that can be useful for the banking sector corporate governance improvement. This paper will create opportunities for the future researchers.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Bayo-Moriones ◽  
Jose Enrique Galdon-Sanchez ◽  
Sara Martinez-de-Morentin

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to analyze how the design of performance appraisal is influenced by the competitive strategy of the firm. Then, this paper examines if the alignment between appraisal and strategy impacts firm performance.Design/methodology/approachThe study sample includes 258 Spanish firms in the manufacturing and services sectors. This information was gathered through questionnaires addressed to the CEO and the senior human resources manager. Several econometric models are estimated, using robust regression analysis and including a set of relevant control variables.FindingsA positive relationship is found between an innovation strategy and developmental performance appraisal. A cost strategy has a negative impact on the adoption of developmental performance appraisal. The findings also confirm that firms with a quality strategy and developmental appraisal have higher performance. In addition, firms adopting an innovation strategy and administrative appraisal enjoy higher return of equity.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research should analyze the dynamics of the relationships between appraisal, strategy and performance to rule out the flaws of cross-sectional data. Another potential extension is the analysis of the interactions of the design of other human resources management practices with both competitive strategy and firm performance.Practical implicationsFirms can improve performance by aligning performance appraisal design with strategy. Those with an innovation strategy should choose administrative appraisal, and those competing on quality should focus on developmental appraisal.Originality/valueThis paper compares the theoretical recommendations on performance appraisal for different competitive strategies, what firms actually do, and the impact that the alignment between appraisal and strategy has on firm performance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Panagiotis Gkorezis ◽  
Eugenia Petridou ◽  
Panteleimon Xanthiakos

Purpose – Leader-member exchange (LMX) has been proposed as a core mechanism which accounts for the impact of various antecedents on employee outcomes. As such, the purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of LMX regarding the relationship between leader positive humor and employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 114 public employees. In order to examine the authors’ hypotheses hierarchical regression analysis was conducted. Findings – As hypothesized, results demonstrated that LMX mediates the relationship between leader positive humor and organizational cynicism. Research limitations/implications – Data were drawn from public employees and, therefore, this may constrain the generalizability of the results. Also, the cross-sectional analysis of the data cannot directly assess causality. Originality/value – This is the first empirical study to examine the mediating effect of LMX in the relationship between leader humor and employees’ perceptions of organizational cynicism.


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