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Empirical Evidence on Corporate Governance and Corporate Performance in Tunisia

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  • Imen Khanchel El Mehdi

Abstract

Recent high‐profile corporate failures in the US and elsewhere in the world, many of which were caused by, or at least exacerbated by, weak governance practices, have convinced an increasing number of once sceptical investors that governance is a separate risk class that certainly requires attention and, in many cases, expert analysis. In this paper we examine corporate governance in Tunisia, North Africa, by analysing the board, the ownership structures and the financial market. By using a panel data set of 24 firms listed on the Tunisian Stock Exchange for the period 2000 to 2005, we provide evidence that governance in Tunisian firms is characterised by strong blockholders (often including families). Moreover, firms can choose between a dual board and a monist board. Our estimates show that Tunisian governance is weak. Finally we provide evidence for a strong relationship between governance and corporate performance.

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  • Imen Khanchel El Mehdi, 2007. "Empirical Evidence on Corporate Governance and Corporate Performance in Tunisia," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(6), pages 1429-1441, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:corgov:v:15:y:2007:i:6:p:1429-1441
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8683.2007.00655.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Issal Haj-Salem & Salma Damak Ayadi & Khaled Hussainey, 2020. "The joint effect of corporate risk disclosure and corporate governance on firm value," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 17(2), pages 123-140, September.
    2. Collins Ntim, 2013. "Corporate Governance, Affirmative Action and Firm Value in Post-apartheid South Africa: A Simultaneous Equation Approach," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 148-172.
    3. Samara, Georges, 2021. "Family businesses in the Arab Middle East: What do we know and where should we go?," Journal of Family Business Strategy, Elsevier, vol. 12(3).
    4. repec:ipg:wpaper:2014-450 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Ntim, Collins G., 2011. "The King Reports, Independent Non-Executive Directors and Firm Valuation on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange," MPRA Paper 45812, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Imen Khanchel El Mehdi, 2014. "Les conseils d’administration dans les PME tunisiennes," Working Papers 2014-77, Department of Research, Ipag Business School.
    7. Ntim, collins g & Opong, kwaku k & Danbolt, jo, 2010. "Corporate governance, affirmative action and firm value: evidence from post-apartheid South African firms," MPRA Paper 32297, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 04 Aug 2011.
    8. Wajdi Ben Rejeb, 2015. "Impact des rôles et des caractéristiques du conseil d'administration sur le degré d'internationalisation des sociétés tunisiennes cotées," Post-Print hal-01226576, HAL.
    9. Collins Ntim, 2015. "Board diversity and organizational valuation: unravelling the effects of ethnicity and gender," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 19(1), pages 167-195, February.
    10. Kun Tracy Wang & Greg Shailer, 2018. "Does Ownership Identity Matter? A Meta‐analysis of Research on Firm Financial Performance in Relation to Government versus Private Ownership," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 54(1), pages 1-35, March.
    11. Wang, Kun Tracy & Shailer, Greg, 2017. "Family ownership and financial performance relations in emerging markets," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 82-98.
    12. Hearn, Bruce, 2011. "The performance and the effects of family control in North African IPOs," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 140-151, June.
    13. repec:ipg:wpaper:2014-077 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Dorra Ellouze & Khadija Mnasri, 2019. "Risk-taking behaviour of family firms: evidence from Tunisia," Post-Print hal-02999642, HAL.
    15. Kun Wang & Greg Shailer, 2015. "Ownership Concentration And Firm Performance In Emerging Markets: A Meta-Analysis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 199-229, April.
    16. Ciftci, Ilhan & Tatoglu, Ekrem & Wood, Geoffrey & Demirbag, Mehmet & Zaim, Selim, 2019. "Corporate governance and firm performance in emerging markets: Evidence from Turkey," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 90-103.

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