Ownership concentration, ownership composition and the performance of the Kuwaiti listed non-financial firms

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mejbel Al-Saidi ◽  
Bader Al-Shammari
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Firms ◽  
Large Shareholders ◽  
Ownership Composition ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the relationship between ownership structure (ownership concentration and ownership composition) and firm performance in Kuwaiti non-financial firms. To this end, it examines the relationship between firm performance and ownership concentration to determine whether the impact of this relationship is conditional on the nature of the large shareholders. Design/methodology/approach – First, the relationship between ownership concentration and firm performance was tested using ordinary least squares regressions on 618 observations (103 listed firms) from 2005 to 2010; next, the ownership compositions were classified as institutional, government and individuals (families) and their impact on firm performance examined. Findings – The overall concentration ownership by large shareholders showed no impact on firm performance. However, when the type of shareholders was introduced, only the government and individuals (families) ownership categories influenced firm performance. Therefore, certain types of shareholders are better at monitoring, and not all concentration by large shareholders is beneficial to Kuwaiti firms. Research limitations/implications – This study examined only one important aspect of the corporate governance mechanisms, namely, ownership concentration. Thus, further study may include other mechanisms such as board variables, role of debt and shareholders rights in examining the firm performance. This study is limited to the Kuwaiti environment, and thus, next step can be very useful in case of comparing ownership concentration in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia) or across different Arab countries. Practical implications – The results of this study have important implications for the regulators in Kuwait in their efforts to increase the efficiency of the rapidly developing capital markets and in protecting investors and keeping confidence in the economy. They may mandate a corporate governance code to protect minority shareholders. Investors may use the findings to understand Kuwaiti companies. Such findings may assist them to diversify their investment portfolios. Originality/value – This paper extends literature review by investigating the role of large shareholders in the context of a developing country that is characterized by high level of ownership concentration and weak legal protection for investors as well as the absence of code that organized the corporate governance practices.

Board independence and firm performance: evidence from Kuwait

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mejbel Al-Saidi
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Independent Directors ◽  
Board Independence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Ordinary Least Square ◽  
Large Shareholders ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This paper aims to reduce the knowledge gap by using a large sample and different regressions while controlling the endogeneity and causality issues. Design/methodology/approach This study used the ordinary least square (OLS) and two stage least squares (2SLS) regressions to control the endogeneity and causality problems; this estimation strategy allows for comparison of both estimates to identify any inconsistency and biases in the parameters. Findings General speaking, this study found that board independence negatively affected firm performance based on Tobin’s Q only and the relationship between the two variables ran from board independence to firm performance but not vice versa. Originality/value The current independent directors are not adding value to Kuwait’s listed firms. Some directors who represent large shareholders and the conflict between large shareholders and small shareholders could affect the role of independent directors in Kuwait. To best of the researchers’ knowledge, this study is the first to consider board independent after controlling the issues of endogeneity and causality in Kuwait; thus, the results could be useful for Kuwaiti firms, regulators and policymakers.

Monitoring or tunneling by large shareholders: evidence from China private listed companies

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaobao Song
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
State Dependency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
General Managers ◽  
Large Shareholders ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between ownership concentration and company performance in China private listed companies. Design/methodology/approach – By taking into account of the difference of managerial positions of large shareholders in listed companies (whether they assume the posts as presidents or general managers), and based on the two agency theories, the paper analyzes the state dependency of the relationship between ownership concentration and the company performance of listed companies with the samples of China private listed companies from 2003 to 2011. Findings – The paper finds that if the large shareholders assume no posts in the listed companies, there is an inverted U shape relation between shareholding ratio of the largest shareholders and the company performance. This result indicates the inadequate or excessive monitoring to the companies by the large shareholders according to different shareholding ratios. If large shareholders assume posts in the listed companies, there is a U shape relation between shareholding ratio of the largest shareholders and the company performance. This result indicates the tunneling and propping to the small shareholders by the large shareholders according to different shareholding ratios. Research limitations/implications – This paper has not taken the influence of earnings management of the listed companies. Practical implications – For strengthening the protection of investors, proper distinction shall be made among shareholders of different conditions, and difference of roles large shareholders play in the company under different conditions shall be understood correctly, so as to formulate and perfect market rules for corporate governance, rather than just restraining the power (rights) of large shareholders. The study in this paper is for helping understand the different roles large shareholders play under different corporate governance conditions. Originality/value – First, different from the research paradigm of relationship between ownership concentration and company performance in existing literature, the paper discriminates the study background with the post-assuming conditions of large shareholders in listed companies and believes that relationship between ownership concentration and company performance shall be presented differently under different post-assuming conditions. Second, by using monitoring theory and tunneling and propping theory to explain the behaviors of large shareholders under different post-assuming conditions respectively, a new theory explanation view is provided for explaining the relation between ownership concentration and company performance.

Does corporate governance spillover firm performance? A study of valuation of MENA companies

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Arayssi ◽  
Mohammad Issam Jizi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Financial Performance ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Board Independence ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Board Size ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governance Committee ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe aim of the paper is to examine the association of corporate governance (CG), the firms’ characteristics and the financial performance of firms operating in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region after Arab Spring. The study focuses on CG, exemplified by boards’ composition and ownership structure. It also explores the possible moderating effects of environmental social and governance characteristics (ESG), leverage and size on the relationship between CG and the company’s performance.Design/methodology/approachUsing Thomson-Reuters database, a sample of 67 firms was extracted in the MENA region to measure CG and financial performance post Arab Spring from 2012 to 2016. Panel GLS regression random effects is used to quantify the relationship; robustness is checked by using several alternative regressions and specifications to the performance measure.FindingsThe results reveal that board independence (BI) is negatively correlated with firm profitability but ownership concentration and board gender diversification contribute to profits. When firms that voluntarily form a governance committee are examined, ownership is less concentrated. We obtain a stronger impact of good governance on performance in these firms: board composition, in general, and workers’ satisfaction generate more profits; and undertaking ESG activities become a more dispensable activity. The effect of board size (BS) and forming a governance committee are studied and ensuing recommendations are drawn. In addition, relevant internal control of firms’ characteristics that strongly predict firms’ market values are discussed in the context of agency and stewardship theories.Originality/valueDespite the fact that governance-performance nexus has been extensively discussed and examined, the focus of this volume of research is on western developed countries. The growing economies of the MENA countries, and the limited governance-performance literature in the MENA context have created a demand to understand the governance environment in these countries and its influence on firm’s performance. In this region where firms’ owners are mainly family members, governments and/or institutions, governance is typically weak; moreover, ownership concentration is expected to guarantee good performance, as the role of independent directors becomes ineffective. For firms where ownership is more diluted, a sound governance system should be established to replace ownership concentration, and to more efficiently monitor management, and consequently improve firm performance. Therefore, this study not only contributes a summary of the prevailing corporate structure in MENA. Moreover, it explains the settings where both the stewardship and agency theories apply in MENA firms. Some recommendation on the importance of changes to the existing governance rules are highlighted in terms of more rules requiring board independence, board gender diversity, limits on board size and establishing governance committees.

Independent directors, ownership concentration and firm performance in listed companies

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thi Tuyet Mai Nguyen ◽  
Elaine Evans ◽  
Meiting Lu
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Listed Companies ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Ownership Concentration ◽  
Independent Directors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Controlling Shareholders ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of independent directors on firm performance in Vietnam and identify how different types of ownership structure and the presence of controlling shareholders influence the relationship. Design/methodology/approach For a sample of 217 non-financial Vietnam-listed companies during the period from 2010 to 2014, this study uses the ordinary least squares regressions to estimate the relationship between independent directors and firm performance. Two econometric techniques – the fixed effects estimation and the difference in difference estimation – are used to control for endogeneity. The results are also robust to the lag variable of independent directors. Findings The results reveal that independent directors have an overall negative effect on firm operating performance. This finding may be because of information asymmetry, expertise disadvantage and the dominance of ownership concentration that prevent independent directors from fulfilling their monitoring function in governance. The negative relationship between independent directors and firm performance is stronger in firms where the State is a controlling shareholder. Research limitations/implications Findings suggest that changes relating to independent directors, as a response to the new corporate governance code in 2012, do not have a positive effect on the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. Further reform is required to improve internal control mechanisms and corporate governance systems in Vietnam. Originality/value This is the first study to provide a robust evidence on the relationship between independent directors and firm performance in Vietnam as well as to explore the impact of the type of controlling shareholders on the relationship.

The effectiveness of e-corporate governance: an exploratory study of internet voting at shareholders’ annual meetings in France

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-702
Author(s):  
Sonia Abdennadher ◽  
Walid Cheffi
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Business Law ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Internet Voting ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Governance Effectiveness ◽  
Voting System ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose E-corporate governance or the use of technologies and information systems (ISs) in corporate governance, is still a subject that is too seldom addressed in business research. This paper is at the intersection between two fields of research (corporate governance and the management of ISs), which are interdependent in ways that are still unexplored. The paper analyzes the implications of internet voting (IV) at shareholders’ annual meetings (SAM) for the corporate governance of listed companies in France, in particular for the relationship between executives and shareholders. Most of the studies that have dealt with IV at SAM have focused on techno-legal issues and were often conducted by business law researchers. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the implications of the new voting system through the prism of corporate governance. Design/methodology/approach The authors proceeded by triangulation of methods. This qualitative study is based on observations, interviews and documentary analysis. It assessed the IV implications for both the issuing companies and the shareholders. Findings The new voting system brings undeniable competitive advantage to the issuing company and facilitates shareholders’ activism, yet it has serious risks both for the corporations and for certain categories of the shareholder. Interestingly, the authors propose an original and field-grounded typology that distinguishes the risks and benefits associated with IV in relation to executives’ attitudes. Social implications The paper shows that the resolving of identified deficiencies with IV development could contribute to the alignment of companies’ interests with those of shareholders. Moreover, the study calls for policymakers to appoint an official body to regulate the practical implementation of the new system and to prevent its dissemination being held hostage to the executives’ willingness. Originality/value An original aspect of this research lies in the effective operationalization of the constructs of corporate governance effectiveness with a view to examining corporate governance as a set of technologically mediated practices. Moreover, this study emphasizes the key role of the construct of “executives’ willingness” in facilitating/impeding IV diffusion. This underlies their attempts to reverse the corporate governance relationship.

Corporate governance, globalization and firm performance in emerging economies

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (8) ◽  
pp. 1310-1333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neha Saini ◽  
Monica Singhania
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
Foreign Capital ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Foreign Ownership ◽  
Foreign Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine relationship between corporate governance (CG) and firm performance for a set of 255 foreign-funded firms in the form of foreign direct investment (FDI) and private equity (PE). The authors employ a wide range of CG measures including board size, meetings, board gender and foreign ownership which are used as the proxy of globalisation and control variables like firm age, leverage, firm size and capital expenditure to arrive at a conclusion.Design/methodology/approachPanel data set of 255 (187 companies funded by foreign capital in the form of FDI, and 68 companies having foreign capital in the form PE) companies listed on Bombay Stock Exchange, for the period of eight years (2008–2015) are analysed by using static (fixed and random effects) and dynamic (generalised method of moments (GMM)) panel data specifications to examine the relationship among CG, globalisation and firm performance.FindingsThe empirical results of static model indicate the relationship between CG and performance of foreign firms, which are not very strong in India. This is due to the fact that most of the firms are not following the guidelines and regulations strictly in the initial period of sample years. Diversity in board is found as an important variable in accessing firm performance. And the authors also found that foreign firms are very particular about the implementation of CG norms. The results of GMM model highlight the interaction term of foreign ownership with governance indicators. CG is having a positive and significant impact over performance, inferring that higher foreign ownership (in the form of FDI and PE) in firm leading to positive effect on profitability.Practical implicationsThe investor’s preference of financing a unit is guided by the performance of a firm. Investors are more inclined towards high-performing firms, and hence higher profitability leads to higher inflow of capital. The result indicates that higher accounting and market performance may be achieved by good governance practices, in turn, leading to reduced agency costs. Countries with high governance scores attract more of foreign capital. Similar to the best governed countries, the companies having good governance practices attract more foreign inflows in the form of capital.Originality/valueWhile previous literature considered a single measurement framework in the form of a CG index, the authors tried to incorporate a range of CG indicators to study the effect of globalisation and CG on firm performance. The authors segregated foreign-owned funds into two parts, especially FDI and PE. This paper examined heterogeneity in the form of FDI-funded and PE-funded firms, as no prior literature is available which has evaluated different sets of foreign funds simultaneously on CG.

HR signals in the context of HRM-firm performance relationship: development of a conceptual framework

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiradip Bandyopadhyay ◽  
Kailash B. L. Srivastava
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Relationship Development ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to reframe human resources' (HR) systems and practices as HR signals drawing from conceptualizations of signals. The construct of the strength of signal is developed to quantify the attributional ability of HR signals. To examine the role of HR signals in influencing employee behaviours and firm performance, human resource management (HRM)-firm performance relationship is considered as a framework to develop a firm-level conceptual model which integrates factors affecting HR signals and its consequences.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines the existing literature on the relationship between HRM and firm performance. In the process, the paper considers the concept of HR signal and makes a case for the strength of HR signal. Finally, the paper offers a conceptual model in order to link the antecedents and consequents of HR signals.FindingsThe paper offers a conceptual model to address the gaps in the relationship between HRM and firm performance. It also brings into focus an understanding of HRM as signals and its importance in understanding firm performance.Originality/valueThe paper enriches the existing literature by examining HRM as HR signals. It adds to the literature by considering the attributional ability of HR, through the construct of the strength of HR signals.

“Ownership structure and firm performance: the mediating role of board characteristics”

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 719-737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Mamunur Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Firm Performance ◽  
Ownership Structure ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Board Independence ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Board Characteristics ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the mediating role of corporate board characteristics in the relationship between ownership structure and firm performance in the listed public limited companies of Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach The study analyzed 527 annual reports of listed companies in Bangladesh for the years 2015-2017. The direct and indirect effect of ownership structure on firm performance was examined using AMOS 23. Baron and Kenny’s (1986) four steps procedure was used to establish the mediating role of board characteristics. Findings The results demonstrated that foreign ownership and director ownership have significant positive influence on both accounting and market based firm’s performance, while institutional ownership exhibits positive influence only on accounting-based performance (return on assets). With respect to mediating effect, the results show that board size and board independence partially mediate the relationship between ownership structure and firm performance. Research limitations/implications The major limitation of the study is that it focuses only on three years data in examining the hypothesized relationship among the variables. Practical implications Investors, regulators and managers can get evocative insights, particularly who seek to improve their company’s performance in the capital market through restructuring their ownership structure and board composition. Originality/value The study focuses on both direct and indirect effect of ownership structure on firm performance in the context of an emerging and developing economy. In examining the indirect effect, the study uses board size and board independence as the mediating variables.

Role of discretionary earning management in corporate governance-value and corporate governance-risk relationships

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Affaf Asghar ◽  
Seemab Sajjad ◽  
Aamer Shahzad ◽  
Bolaji Tunde Matemilola
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Firm Performance ◽  
Panel Data ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Emerging Economy ◽  
Earning Management ◽  
Firm Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Single Study

Purpose Corporate governance (CG) is an ongoing interesting topic getting the attention of market participant, business regulators and researchers in today’s business environment. The purpose of this study is to analyze the moderating role of earnings management on CG-value and CG-risk relationship in the emerging economy of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach A panel data analysis is used in this study. A panel data of 71 non-financial listed companies of Pakistan for the 2008-2017 period is considered for this study. Secondary data is collected from the annual reports of non-financial firms listed on PSX. Seven econometric equations are developed to test the research hypothesis. Findings The results reveal that CG significantly enhances the firm value and performance measures. Moreover, CG mitigates the practices of earning management and eliminates the risk that develops opportunistic behavior among managers to commit frauds. Practical implications The results of this study suggest that the board of directors (BODs) should intensify their governance role and ensure that the executives perform their duties to maximize the wealth of the shareholders and not engage in any misrepresentation of accounts that may lower the company position and decrease the firm value. Moreover, the managers should be informed about their accountability and acknowledged that at the end of the year, they would be audited by an expert’s auditors for their responsibilities. Concerning regulatory bodies, regulatory authorities should ensure that there must be at least one independent member on the board. The better-governed system reduces both agency conflicts and enhances firm value. Originality/value A number of studies have already been undertaken by multiple investigators to build connection among CG with firm performance, but there is not even a single study in the literature that considers CG, firm value, firm Risk and discretionary earning management as a whole in one model to generalize its results in the emerging economy of Pakistan. A fundamental element of current analyzation process addresses that this is the very first graft of study conducted in Pakistan having combination of four variables together in one revision. There is minimal work that focuses on moderating effects of earning management on the CG-value and CG-risk relationships. This study uses two standard measures of firm performance (i.e. ROA and Tobin’s Q), one proxy of earning management (DEM) and three attributes of CG (board size, audit quality and ownership structure). Previously, researchers have not investigated a model that combines variables (CG as independent and Firm performance and Firm Risk as dependent along with DEM as moderator) in a single study.

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