Corporate governance: the inputs to outcomes evolution

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-166
Author(s):  
Linda de Beer

Purpose The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that there was a clear shift from the First King Report in 1994, which advocated an input approach to corporate governance, to the Fourth King Report in 2016 that proposed an outcomes-based approach to corporate governance. It will be demonstrated that there was a gradual shift from an “apply-or-explain” approach in the earlier editions of the King Reports, to an “apply-an-explain” approach in the fourth edition of the King Report. Design/methodology/approach Historical narrative and analysis. Findings The fourth King Report, published in 2016, encapsulates an evolution in corporate governance thinking where four good governance outcomes – ethical culture, good performance, effective control and legitimacy – are placed at the forefront of measuring governance, with governance principles and practices following from these outcomes. Originality/value This study is part of a special issue that looks at the contribution of the King Reports to governance globally.

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Krenn

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explain under what circumstances firm-level adoption of codes of good corporate governance will more likely be superficial rather than substantive in nature. The article contains lessons for any agency or country that attempts to implement deep and lasting changes in corporate governance via codes of good corporate governance. Design/methodology/approach – The article reviews the literature on compliance with codes of good corporate governance and develops a conceptual model to explain why some firms that have formally adopted a code of good governance decouple this policy from its actual use. Findings – Decoupling in response to the issuance of codes of good corporate governance will be more attractive to firms and also more sustainable under the following conditions: firms’ compliance costs are relatively high firms’ costs of outright and visible non-compliance are relatively high and outsiders’ compliance monitoring costs are relatively high. Originality/value – The article contributes to the debate on compliance and convergence and provides policymakers with a conceptual framework for assessing the likelihood of successful regulatory change in corporate governance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-146
Author(s):  
Annamarie van der Merwe

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with a high-level overview of the key messages of each of the four King Reports on Corporate Governance for South Africa, published during the period from 1994 to 2017, with a particular focus on the stakeholder-inclusive approach. While confirming the constant themes and messages, it also highlights the unique features and attributes of each of these reports. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on a review and comparison of the four King Reports of Corporate Governance for South Africa with a particular focus on the stakeholder-inclusive approach. Findings The key findings of this paper are: the concept of “stakeholder inclusivity” is a common theme across all four the King Reports forming part of the review while, at the same time, having a unique flavour in each of the reports and visibly developing over the years. The reliance on human intervention and ethical leaders to appropriately and effectively steer the stakeholder-inclusive approach is obvious. In the absence of this, no corporate governance code will provide adequate safeguards to stakeholders against corporate failures and disasters, whether in South Africa or anywhere else. Originality/value This paper is a part of a special issue which looks at the contribution of the King Reports to governance globally.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4/5) ◽  
pp. 324-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Rachael Williams ◽  
Simone Bingham ◽  
Sonia Shimeld

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to understand how board composition and independent non-executive director (INED) disclosures have changed in light of the global financial crisis (GFC) from an accountability perspective. Design/methodology/approach – Content analysis techniques were undertaken on a random sample of 75 publicly listed companies across two time periods, 2005 and 2010. Findings – The findings highlighted increased INED board membership and increased skill and experience disclosure across all board positions, with the most significant increase being the INED position. The results support the notion that firms are attempting to restore their accountability relationships post-GFC through more transparent mechanisms of governance. However, concerns are also raised in the way individual companies are meeting the ASX Corporate Governance independence requirements. Research limitations/implications – The results raise questions as to whether firms have implemented these changes to ensure effective governance and accountability responsibilities, or simply to give the appearance of good governance. Originality/value – Little attention has been given in the literature to the characteristics of INEDs and whether board changes have been made in the wake of corporate and financial crises. The findings from this study contribute to an understanding of board composition and disclosures pre- and post-GFC.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 250-264
Author(s):  
Chiew Siang Bryan Ho

Purpose – The contributions in this special issue focus specifically on pertinent issues concerning governance in Asian developmental states – Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao. The purpose of this paper is to provide, first of all, an overview of conceptual issues on governance and its potential application for addressing the rise and development of Asia’s successful developmental states – Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao. Design/methodology/approach – This introduction will show the relevance of these contributions theoretically, methodologically, and empirically in relation to the current literature on governance studies. Findings – The overview section links the theoretical and conceptual considerations with the empirical studies on either single country or a comparison between states. Originality/value – The concluding remarks point to the lessons drawn from these contributions and the implication(s) for further research in good governance.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 999-1014
Author(s):  
Kohei Miyamoto

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to trace a legal evolution of the monitoring board and to reveal what brought the evolution and what is expected to emerge. The paper points to unique complementarities in Japanese corporate governance institutions and norms which will affect how the monitoring board performs its functions. Design/Methodology/Approach Analysis is based on texts on corporate governance legislations in Japan from the revision of Commercial Code in 1950 to the revision of Companies Act in 2014. Other sources include Tokyo Stock Exchange regulations, White Paper on Corporate Governance and other academic literatures on Japanese corporate governance. Findings Changes of non-legal institutions and norms in Japanese corporate governance necessitated legal reforms toward the monitoring board. Persisting institutions and norms, in particular lifetime employment, influences how the monitoring board performs its functions in Japan. Originality/Value This paper explains how the evolution of the monitoring board in Japan emerged and what will cause different expected functions of the monitoring board in Japan and other jurisdictions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 1292-1314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Keay

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate that notwithstanding the fact that stewardship theory embraces things like trust of directors, their professionalism, loyalty and willingness to be concerned for the interests of others, as well as rejecting the foundations of classic agency problems that are asserted by agency theory, board accountability is as relevant to stewardship theory as it is to agency theory. Design/methodology/approach The paper applies the theory underlying board accountability in corporate governance, which is so often applied both in the corporate governance literature and in practice with agency theory in mind, to stewardship theory. Findings While the idea of accountability of boards is generally associated with an explanation and conceptualisation of the role and behaviour of directors as agents within classic agency theory, the paper demonstrates that board accountability is a necessary part of board life even if the role of directors is explained and conceptualised in terms of stewardship theory. Practical implications The paper suggests some accountability mechanisms that might be employed in a stewardship approach. Originality/value While many authors have talked in general terms about board accountability and its importance, this is the first paper that has engaged in a substantial study that links board accountability directly with stewardship theory, and to establish that accountability is necessary.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 629-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundas Sohail ◽  
Farhat Rasul ◽  
Ummara Fatima

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how governance mechanisms (internal and external) enhance the performance of the return on asset (ROA), return on equity (ROE), earning per share (EPS) and dividend payout ratios (DP) of the banks of Pakistan. The study incorporates not only the internal factors of governance (board size, out-ratio, annual general meeting, managerial ownership, institutional ownership, block holder stock ownership and financial transparency) but also the external factors (legal infrastructure and protection of minority shareholders, and the market for corporate control). Design/methodology/approach The sample size of the study consists of 30 banks (public, private and specialized) listed at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSE) for the period 2008-2014. The panel data techniques (fixed or random effect model) have been used for the empirical analysis after verification by Hausman (1978) test. Findings The results revealed that not only do the internal mechanisms of governance enhance the performance of the banking sector of Pakistan but external governance also plays a substantial role in enriching the performance. The findings conclude that for a good governance structure, both internal and external mechanisms are equally important, to accelerate the performance of the banking sector. Research limitations/implications Internal and external mechanisms of corporate governance can also be checked by adding some more variables (ownership i.e. foreign, female and family as internal and auditor as external), but they are not added in this work due to data unavailability. Practical implications The study contributes to the literature and could be useful for the policy makers who need to force banks to mandate codes of governance through which they can create an efficient board structure and augment the performance. The investments from different forms of ownership can be accelerated if they follow the codes properly. Social implications The study facilitates the bankers in incorporating sound codes of corporate governance to enhance the performance of the banks. Originality/value This work is unique as no one has explored the impact of external mechanism of governance on the performance of the banking sector of Pakistan.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Farooq ◽  
Amna Noor ◽  
Shoukat Ali

Purpose The purpose of this research is to look into the governance–performance relationship in the context of critical firm characteristics, such as firm size. Design/methodology/approach Based on total assets, sample firms were classified as small or large. The governance index, which is based on 29 governance provisions covering the audit committee, board committee, ownership and compensation structure of the respective firm, measures governance quality among sample firms. A higher governance index indicates a higher level of governance quality and vice versa. Accounting and market value measures are used to determine firm profitability. The authors used the two-stage least square (2SLS) method of estimation of the model to eliminate the simultaneous equation bias. Findings Corporate governance (CG) appears to have a positive impact on accounting return and market indices (Tobin’s Q), but it has little impact on return on equity. In terms of firm size, larger companies profited more from better governance implementation than smaller firms that lacked these principles, thus improving CG. The findings indicate that small businesses should improve their governance mechanisms to reap the benefits of CG in terms of increased profitability. Research limitations/implications There are certain drawbacks to this research. First, the authors omitted qualitative aspects of CG from the CG index, such as the board’s decision-making process, directors’ perceptions of the board’s position and directors’ age and qualifications. Such a qualitative component will improve the governance index in the future while building the governance index. Second, as the current study only looks at the nonfinancial sector, caution should be exercised before applying the findings to the entire population. Practical implications The findings show that companies that follow good governance standards have better accounting and market efficiency than those that do not. As a result, good governance practices can help firms in developing countries improve their performance. Academic researchers, regulators, investors, lenders and practitioners can find the findings useful in establishing a true relationship between firm performance and CG practices in Pakistan. Originality/value The relationship between governance and profitability in the context of firm size is examined in this research. Firms with varying resources and ability to implement CG codes have varying effects on profitability. To the authors’ knowledge, there was a gap in the literature that addressed this topic in the local context.


2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 685-691
Author(s):  
Raechel Johns ◽  
Janet Davey

Purpose While there is burgeoning service literature identifying consumer vulnerabilities and questioning the assumption that all consumers have the resources to co-create, limited research addresses solutions for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. Service systems can provide support for consumers but can also create inequities and experienced vulnerabilities. This paper aims to identify current and further research needed to explore this issue and addresses marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. Design/methodology/approach This viewpoint discusses key issues relating to solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. A call for papers focused on solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities resulted in a large number of submissions. Nine papers are included in this special issue, and each one is discussed in this editorial according to five emergent themes. Findings Vulnerabilities can be temporary, or permanent, and anyone can suddenly experience vulnerabilities. Inequities and vulnerabilities can be due to individual characteristics, environmental forces, or due to the structure of the marketplace itself. Solutions include taking a strengths-based approach to addressing inequities and using a multiple-actor network to provide support. Practical implications The recommendations addressed in this paper enable more positive approaches to solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. Social implications Taking a solutions-focused lens to research relating to vulnerabilities will contribute toward addressing inequities within the marketplace. Originality/value Increasingly, service literature is identifying inequities; however, very limited research addresses solutions for solving marketplace problems for consumers experiencing vulnerabilities. This paper suggests taking an approach focusing on strengths, rather than weaknesses, to determine strategies, and using the support of other actors (Transformative Service Mediators) where required.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 450-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charl de Villiers ◽  
Pei-Chi Kelly Hsiao ◽  
Warren Maroun

Purpose This paper aims to develop a conceptual model for examining the development of integrated reporting, relate the articles in this Meditari Accountancy Research special issue on integrated reporting to the model and identify areas for future research. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses a narrative/discursive style to summarise key findings from the articles in the special issue and develop a normative research agenda. Findings The findings of the prior literature, as well as the articles in this special issue, support the conceptual model developed in this paper. This new conceptual model can be used in multiple ways. Originality/value The special issue draws on some of the latest developments in integrated reporting from multiple jurisdictions. Different theoretical frameworks and methodologies, coupled with primary evidence on integrated reporting, construct a pluralistic assessment of integrated reporting, which can be used as a basis for future research. The new conceptual model developed in this paper can be used as an organising framework; a way of understanding and thinking about the various influences; a way of identifying additional factors to control for in a study; and/or a way of identifying new, interesting and underexplored research questions.


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