Corporate governance provisions and firm financial performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (8) ◽  
pp. 1805-1822 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melih Madanoglu ◽  
Ersem Karadag

Purpose Borrowing from arguments of agency theory, the present study aims to investigate the moderating effect of the deviation from optimal franchising on the relationship between corporate governance provisions and firm financial performance. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of 35 publicly listed US restaurant firms for the 1990-2008 period. The study uses a hierarchical regression with cross-sectional time-series fixed effects. Findings The results show that the deviation from optimal franchising worsens the negative relationship between corporate governance provisions and firm performance. Research limitations/implications The availability of governance data restricts our sample to large publicly listed firms in the US restaurant industry, limiting the ability to generalize results for small and privately held restaurant firms. Practical implications Firm executives should not only pay attention to which corporate governance provisions they adopt but also strive to maintain an optimal level of franchising. Originality/value The key contribution of this study to governance literature is that this study demonstrates how the presence of multiple governance mechanisms influences firm performance.

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 641-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamer Mohamed Shahwan

Purpose – This paper aims to empirically examine the quality of corporate governance (CG) practices in Egyptian-listed companies and their impact on firm performance and financial distress in the context of an emerging market such as that of Egypt. Design/methodology/approach – To assess the level of CG practices at a given firm, the current study constructs a corporate governance index (CGI) which consists of four dimensions: disclosure and transparency, composition of the board of directors, shareholders’ rights and investor relations and ownership and control structure. Based on a sample of 86 non-financial firms listed on the Egyptian Exchange, the effects of CG on performance and financial distress are assessed. Tobin’s Q is used to assess corporate performance. At the same time, the Altman Z-score is used as a financial distress indicator, as it measures financial distress inversely. The bigger the Z-score, the smaller the risk of financial distress. Findings – The overall score of the CGI, on average, suggests that the quality of CG practices within Egyptian-listed firms is relatively low. The results do not support the positive association between CG practices and financial performance. In addition, there is an insignificant negative relationship between CG practices and the likelihood of financial distress. The current study also provides evidence that firm-specific characteristics could be useful as a first-pass screen in determining firm performance and the likelihood of financial distress. Research limitations/implications – The sample size and time frame of our analysis are relatively small; some caution would be needed before generalizing the results to the entire population. Practical implications – The findings may be of interest to those academic researchers, practitioners and regulators who are interested in discovering the quality of CG practices in a developing market such as that of Egypt and its impact on financial performance and financial distress. Originality/value – This paper extends the existing literature, in the Egyptian context in particular, by examining firm performance and the risk of financial distress in relation to the level of CG mechanisms adopted.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelbaset Queiri ◽  
Araby Madbouly ◽  
Sameh Reyad ◽  
Nizar Dwaikat

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between selected board characteristics and ownership elements and the performance of firms listed in the Muscat Securities Market (MSM30). The examination focused on how the firm financial performance was affected by the board size, the number of board meetings and the ratio of the independent board of directors along to the ownership concentration types (i.e. institutional, state and concentrated individual ownership). Design/methodology/approach Data were extracted from the annual reports available online on the MSM30 website over a period of seven years (2009–2015). The sample consisted of 14 firms belonging to the non-financial sector. The data were of a balanced type and there were 98 observations. The analysis was conducted using the ordinary least square in STATA with the use of the robustness technique of standard error. Findings The findings of this study provide evidence that the selected elements for board characteristics and ownership influence firm performance. Nevertheless, such influence has its interpretation that differs to some extent from other securities markets in the developing countries. For instance, the ratio of the independent board of directors, the number of board director’s meetings, state ownership and concentrated individual ownership were inversely affecting the firm performance. However, institutional ownership and board size were found to have a positive effect on firm performance. Originality/value Studies on the influence of corporate governance and ownership structures in the context of Oman are still scarce. MSM30 received little attention, even though such an index encompasses the most liquid and the most profitable firms. MSM30 is an important index for investors in Oman looking for capital gains. Accordingly, this present study contributes to the knowledge body by providing new findings related to Oman and compares it with the other markets within Gulf Council Countries (GCC) and around the world. This will provide more understanding of the Omani context. Moreover, the authors anticipate that the outcomes of this research, which so far is the most comprehensive study in the Omani context in terms of the impact of corporate governance and ownership structure on firm financial performance can significantly shape corporate governance discourse, practices and policies in Oman, in particular, and in other GCC countries in general, to improve financial performance and corporate sustainability.


2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (8/9) ◽  
pp. 891-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick Rading Outa ◽  
Nelson M. Waweru

Purpose This paper aims to examine the impact of compliance with corporate governance (CG) guidelines during the period 2002-2014 on firm financial performance and firm value of Kenyan-listed companies. Design/methodology/approach Using panel data of 520-firm year’s observations between 2005 and 2014, the authors test the hypothesis that compliance with CG guidelines issued in 2002 by Capital Markets Authority (CMA) improved firm financial performance and firm value. Findings Compliance with CG Index which is an aggregate of all the CG guidelines is positively and significantly related to firm performance and firm value. Board evaluation is also positively and significantly related to firm performance. The findings suggest that CG guidelines are associated with firm financial performance and firm value. Originality/value The authors provide evidence on the relationship between CG practices and firm financial performance and firm value in Kenya. Second, the authors provide evidence on board evaluation which has not been tested before in a “comply or explain” environment. Finally, they evaluate how CMA 2002 CG guidelines steered firm financial performance and firm value over its life cycle from 2002 to 2014. These results are important to CMA and other CG regulators and boards in their efforts to improve CG practices in the region.


2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 300-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Korutaro Nkundabanyanga ◽  
Joseph M. Ntayi ◽  
Augustine Ahiauzu ◽  
Samuel K. Sejjaaka

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of intellectual capital on the relationship between board governance and perceived firm financial performance. Design/methodology/approach – This study was cross-sectional. Analyses were by SPSS and Analysis of Moment Structure on a sample of 128 firms. Findings – The mediated model provides support for the hypothesis that intellectual capital mediates the relationship between board governance and perceived firm performance. while the direct relationship between board governance and firm financial performance without the mediation effect of intellectual capital was found to be significant, this relationship becomes insignificant when mediation of intellectual capital is allowed. Thus, the entire effect does not only go through the main hypothesised predictor variable (board governance) but majorly also, through intellectual capital. Accordingly, the connection between board governance and firm financial performance is very much weakened by the presence of intellectual capital in the model – confirming that the presence of intellectual capital significantly acts as a conduit in the association between board governance and firm financial performance. Overall, 36 per cent of the variance in perceived firm performance is explained. the error variance being 64 per cent of perceived firm performance itself. Research limitations/implications – The authors surveyed directors or managers of firms and although the influence of common methods variance was minimal, the non-existence of common methods bias could not be guaranteed. Although the constructs have been defined as precisely as possible by drawing upon relevant literature and theory, the measurements used may not perfectly represent all the dimensions. For example board governance concept (used here as a behavioural concept) is very much in its infancy just as intellectual capital is. Similarly the authors have employed perceived firm financial performance as proxy for firm financial performance. The implication is that the constructs used/developed can realistically only be proxies for an underlying latent phenomenon that itself is not fully measureable. Practical implications – In considering the behavioural constructs of the board, a new integrative framework for board effectiveness is much needed as a starting point, followed by examining intellectual capital in firms whose mediating effect should formally be accounted for in the board governance – financial performance equation. Originality/value – Results add to the conceptual improvement in board governance studies and lend considerable support for the behavioural perspective in the study of boards and their firm performance improvement potential. Using qualitative factors for intellectual capital to predict the perceived firm financial performance, this study offers a unique dimension in understanding the causes of poor financial performance. It is always a sign of a maturing discipline (like corporate governance) to examine the role of a third variable in the relationship so as to make meaningful conclusions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 433-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengli Shu ◽  
Dirk De Clercq ◽  
Yunyue Zhou ◽  
Cuijuan Liu

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and strategic renewal (as a critical dimension of corporate entrepreneurship) might transmit government institutional support and thereby enhance firm performance in a transition economy.Design/methodology/approachMulti-respondent data were collected from 230 Chinese-based firms. The hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling, in combination with a bias-corrected bootstrap method, to assess the significance of the theorized direct and indirect relationships.FindingsGovernment institutional support enhances EO and strategic renewal individually, yet EO also fully mediates the relationship between government institutional support and strategic renewal. Moreover, strategic renewal fully mediates the relationship between EO and firm financial performance, and it partially mediates the relationship between EO and firm reputation.Originality/valueThis study contributes to entrepreneurship literature by testing an organization-level model of entrepreneurial phenomena in established firms that identifies EO and strategic renewal as two distinct mechanisms through which government institutional support in a transition economy can enhance organizational effectiveness, which entails the firm’s financial performance and reputation. In doing so, this study provides an extended understanding of how EO and strategic renewal might influence a firm’s financial and nonfinancial outcomes in different ways.


Author(s):  
Mohamed H. Elmagrhi ◽  
Collins G. Ntim ◽  
Richard M. Crossley ◽  
John K. Malagila ◽  
Samuel Fosu ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which corporate board characteristics influence the level of dividend pay-out ratio using a sample of UK small- and medium-sized enterprises from 2010 to 2013 listed on the Alternative Investment Market. Design/methodology/approach The data are analysed by employing multivariate regression techniques, including estimating fixed effects, lagged effects and two-stage least squares regressions. Findings The results show that board size, the frequency of board meetings, board gender diversity and audit committee size have a significant relationship with the level of dividend pay-out. Audit committee size and board size have a positive association with the level of dividend pay-out, whilst the frequency of board meetings and board gender diversity have a significant negative relationship with the level of dividend pay-out. By contrast, the findings suggest that board independence and CEO role duality do not have any significant effect on the level of dividend pay-out. Originality/value This is one of the first attempts at examining the relationship between corporate governance and dividend policy in the UK’s Alternative Investment Market, with the analysis distinctively informed by agency theoretical insights drawn from the outcome and substitution hypotheses.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdifatah Ahmed Haji ◽  
Sanni Mubaraq

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of corporate governance and ownership structure attributes on firm performance following the revised code on corporate governance in Malaysia. The study presents a longitudinal assessment of the compliance and implications of the revised code on firm performance. Design/methodology/approach – Two data sets consisting of before (2006) and after (2008-2010) the revised code are examined. Drawing from the largest companies listed on Bursa Malaysia (BM), the first data set contains 92 observations in the year 2006 while the second data set comprises of 282 observations drawn from the largest companies listed on BM over a three-year period, from 2008-2010. Both accounting (return on assets and return on equity) and market performance (Tobin’s Q) measures were used to measure firm performance. Multiple and panel data regression analyses were adopted to analyze the data. Findings – The study shows that there were still cases of non-compliance to the basic requirements of the code such as the one-third independent non-executive director (INDs) requirement even after the revised code. While the regression models indicate marginal significance of board size and independent directors before the revised code, the results indicate all corporate governance variables have a significant negative relationship with at least one of the measures of corporate performance. Independent chairperson, however, showed a consistent positive impact on firm performance both before and after the revised code. In addition, ownership structure elements were found to have a negative relationship with either accounting or market performance measures, with institutional ownership showing a consistent negative impact on firm performance. Firm size and leverage, as control variables, were significant in determining corporate performance. Research limitations/implications – One limitation is the use of separate measures of corporate governance attributes, as opposed to a corporate governance index (CGI). As a result, the study constructs a CGI based on the recommendations of the revised code and proposes for future research use. Practical implications – Some of the largest companies did not even comply with basic requirements such as the “one-third INDs” mandatory requirement. Hence, the regulators may want to reinforce the requirements of the code and also detail examples of good governance practices. The results, which show a consistent positive relationship between the presence of an independent chairperson and firm performance in both data sets, suggest listed companies to consider appointing an independent chairperson in the corporate leadership. The regulatory authorities may also wish to note this phenomenon when drafting any future corporate governance codes. Originality/value – This study offers new insights of the implications of regulatory changes on the relationship between corporate governance attributes and firm performance from the perspective of a developing country. The development of a CGI for future research is a novel approach of this study.


2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-310 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrews Owusu ◽  
Charlie Weir

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact corporate governance, measured by a governance index, on the performance of listed firms in a developing economy, Ghana. It also evaluates the effect of the introduction of a code of corporate governance on compliance rates across Ghanaian firms as well as assessing the impact of the code’s introduction on firm performance for the study period 2000-2009. Design/methodology/approach The paper develops a Ghanaian corporate governance index (GCGI) containing 33 provisions to measure corporate governance quality during the pre-code and the post-code sub-periods. The authors use a panel data analytical framework and fixed effects regressions to analyse the governance-performance relationships. Findings After controlling for endogeneity, the authors find a statistically significant and positive relationship between the GCGI and firm performance. The analysis shows evidence of a statistically significant increase in the degree of compliance with the Ghanaian Code from the pre-2003 sub-period to the post-2003 sub-period. The authors also find that the introduction of the code has led to improved firm performance. However, not all elements of corporate governance appear to have a significant effect on firm performance. Research limitations/implications One limitation of this study is the development of a corporate governance index. The binary coding used to construct the GCGI may not reflect the relative importance of the different corporate governance provisions. This means that all elements included in the index are given equal weighting. Future research may assign weights to each of the corporate governance provisions but this may have the disadvantage of making subjective judgements relative to the importance of each corporate governance provision recommended by the Ghanaian Code. Practical implications These results have important implications for both policy makers and companies. For policy makers, it is encouraging for the development of a code of corporate governance to regulate firms rather than enforcing rigid laws that may not be value relevant. For companies, the improvement in compliance with a code of corporate governance can provide a means of achieving improved performance. Originality/value This paper adds to the limited evidence on the governance-performance relationship in developing economies and in particular it analyses the role of a governance index. It is also the first paper to compare the pre- and the post-code governance index-performance relationship in an African or developing country.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 319-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tariq Tawfeeq Yousif Alabdullah

Purpose Previous studies that dealt with corporate governance have witnessed gradually significant growth that created some new trends. The purpose of this paper is to be involved in such trends through examining the link between ownership structure as one of the important corporate governance mechanisms and firm performance in Jordan as one of emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach The current study used the multiple regression method to analyze available data for non-financial firms listed in the Amman Stock Exchange for the fiscal year 2012. Findings The findings revealed that managerial ownership has a positive impact on performance. On the other hand, the findings surprisingly showed no evidence to support the impact of foreign ownership on performance. Moreover, there is a significant evidence to support the fact that company size has no impact on firm performance. The findings also revealed that industry type has no impact on firm performance. Practical implications The practical implications of the current study demonstrated that good corporate governance is imperative to all organizations and must be encouraged for the interest of all stakeholders. Unlike the majority of the previous studies, the current study unexpectedly found that foreign ownership is not significantly contributing to the firm performance. Thus, Jordanian Government and other related/responsible parties should formulate policies for the foreign investors. Originality/value Interestingly, from developed and developing countries perspective, the study is the first of its kind that exclusively chose the mechanisms of ownership structure in its relationship with firm performance represented by market share, where no previous study has tested foreign ownership in such relationship. In that, this study is the first study in emerging economies to investigate such a link. Such new insights on this relationship by current study provide helpful information that is of great value to the government, academics, policy makers, and other stakeholders.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Taha Almarayeh

Purpose This study aims to analyze the relationship between board gender diversity, board compensation and firm financial performance in the developing country, Jordan, whose cultural, economic and institutional context is very different from most previously analyzed countries’ context. Design/methodology/approach Ordinary least squares regression was used to examine the association between board gender diversity, board compensation and firm financial performance in a sample of 510 firm-year observations during the years 2009–2018. Generalized least squares estimation method was used to confirm that the results are robust. Findings The author provides new evidence that board gender diversity does not contribute to firm financial performance. The author also detects that there is a positive relationship between board compensation on firm financial performance. Originality/value This paper examines the under-researched relationship between board gender diversity, board compensation and firm financial performance. In so doing, the author tries to provide new insights into this relationship within the developing context, the case of Jordan that has a different environment from that of advanced markets. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is almost certainly the first research to investigate the impact of board gender diversity and board compensation on firm financial performance in the Jordanian market. This manuscript is expected to be used as a reference by the regulators and policymakers – both in Jordan and other countries with a similar institutional, cultural setting – to provide a deep understanding of the impact of board gender diversity and board compensation on the firm performance.


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