A mediation analysis: Board of directors’ composition, R&D investment, and international firm performance

The comprehension and the explanation of the research and development (R&D) investment behaviour are done within the framework of a reflection on corporate governance. This investment does not contribute to creating value only if it is framed by governance mechanisms which role is to keep organizational, agency, or transaction costs as low as possible. In this context, we try to determine whether an integrating model exists; one that measures the simultaneous effect of the characteristics of the board of directors on R&D and the firm performance in an international context. Our model seeks to identify whether the dominance of inside directors and the dual structure influence the level of R&D investment, the mediating variable, and hence the firm performance. Our empirical study was carried out on a total sample of 509 firms divided between 165 American firms, 173 Japanese firms, and 171 French firms over the period 2014 to 2019. The findings of the mediation analysis according to the approach of Preacher and Hayes (2004, 2008) show the significant role of mediation by R&D investment between, on the one hand, the dominance of inside directors and duality, and on the other hand, the firm performance. Differences in the configuration of board of directors (BD) in different countries thus lead to different attitudes to the fulfillment of the control task and the R&D investment decision, value creator

Can non-CEO inside directors add value? Evidence from unplanned CEO turnovers

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the roles of non-CEO inside directors (NCIDs) in the new CEO-firm matching process using the context of unplanned CEO departures when immediate CEO succession planning becomes a sole board responsibility. Although critics argue that inside directors decrease the monitoring effectiveness of a board, inside directors arguably possess superior firm-specific experience and knowledge that can be beneficial during the leadership transition. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a comprehensive, manually collected data set of unplanned CEO departures from 1993 to 2012. Findings The authors find that NCIDs play an important role in the CEO transitioning process. They help firms identify qualified inside replacements and provide stability as the new permanent or interim CEO. In addition, NCIDs facilitate the transfer of information and help the new external CEOs succeed. They show that the longer the NCID stays with the company, the longer the tenure of the new CEO. They also document that the presence of NCIDs improves operating and stock performance; especially when the new CEO is hired from outside of the firm. Practical implications The impact of NCIDs is particularly important when the firm hires an outsider as the new CEO. These results suggest that board composition affects frictions in the CEO labor market. Originality/value The literature has predominantly focused on the downside of having inside directors. Too many inside directors on a firm’s board is often associated with ineffective boards and entrenchment. To the contrary, the authors focus on a potential benefit of having inside directors.

Does gender diversity on boards influence stock market liquidity? Empirical evidence from the French market

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the gender diversity on boards and its effect on stock market liquidity in French boardrooms. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of French firms between 2002 and 2012 listed on the Paris Stock Exchange (SBF120), the study uses ordinary least squares and three-stage least squares (3SLS) regressions to address endogeneity concerns on the board gender diversity. Findings The results show that stock market liquidity is positively and significantly associated with the presence of women directors. The authors find that investors’ decisions vary according to their positions in the board: women independent members decrease illiquidity costs, while the presence of female inside directors increases daily trading volume. In addition, the presence of female inside directors increases the firm’s ability to implement better strategies that cope with economic, social and environmental constraints which leads investors to positively react. Surprisingly, the presence of female independent directors reduces company involvement in sustainable development projects. Practical implications The empirical findings contribute to the current debate on the benefits of gender diversity on corporate boards and the effectiveness of gender-quota laws. It shows that appointing insider female’ directors incite investors to trade more stocks while appointing independents ones reduces their trading costs. Social implications This paper shows that the benefits of female directors appointing depend on their independence of management team. Originality/value This study addresses the endogeneity between stock market liquidity, corporate governance and gender diversity. It is the first study to distinguish between the effects of women inside and independent directors on investors’ trading decisions.

The Effect of Social Ties between Outside and Inside Directors on the Association between Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Value

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between activities related to corporate social responsibility (C81SR) and firm value, and whether social ties between outside and inside directors within the board (social ties) affect this association. We analyzed a sample of non-financial firms with fiscal year-end in December listed in the Korea Stock Exchange market for the period of 2012–2017, measuring the intensity of social ties based on region and school relations using the concept of density from social network theory. Using environment, social, and governance (ESG) scores from the Korea Corporate Governance Service to measure CSR activities, we find that, on average, firms can increase their value through CSR activities in Korea. In addition, in firms with strong social ties, the positive association between CSR activities and firm value is attenuated, indicating that boards with strong social ties are ineffective in monitoring CSR activities. Although the government has made great efforts to improve corporate governance with a focus on independence of outside directors, the results of our analysis indicate that there is room for firms to improve board independence substantively in a society where nepotism is widespread.

Director workloads, attendance and firm performance

Purpose This paper examines whether increased director workloads are benefiting firms or are causing directors to become too busy, resulting in lower director attendance and weaker firm performance. Design/methodology/approach This paper conducts empirical analysis of the relationships between meeting frequency, director attendance rates and firm performance using archival data from Australia. Findings Attendance rates for both outside and inside directors decrease as they are required to attend more meetings. The benefits firms obtain from holding additional meetings are significantly eroded by lower director attendance. Originality/value This study brings together the literatures on meeting frequency, director busyness and firm performance to show that increased director workloads are only beneficial to firms if directors do not become too busy to fulfill their obligations to shareholders.