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Governance Regimes and Nationality Diversity in Corporate Boards: A Comparative Study of Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom

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  • Kees Van Veen
  • Janine Elbertsen

Abstract

Manuscript Type: Empirical Research Question: In this study, the level of nationality diversity of a corporate board is seen as directly dependent on the governance regime of the country of origin of the company. Therefore, to what extent can differences in nationality diversity in corporate boards be explained by structural differences in governance regimes in different countries? Research Findings: A number of hypotheses about the level of nationality diversity in company boards in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK have been derived. These have been tested and confirmed to a large extent. Governance regime effects are strong, even when controlled for the most relevant company effects. Theoretical Implications: For the first time, the explanation of nationality diversity has been directly connected to the characteristics of a country's governance regime. Additionally, the relative strength of competing country and company forces was discussed and tested. Policy Implications: This study shows how the increase in the diversity of nationalities on corporate boards, as result of global economic forces, are translated through national institutions. On a company level, this implies that the governance regime of a company's country of origin might be either an asset or a liability. It also shows the importance of national‐level institutions when it comes to the ways global economic forces exercise a differentiating effect on the board composition of large multinational enterprises.

Suggested Citation

  • Kees Van Veen & Janine Elbertsen, 2008. "Governance Regimes and Nationality Diversity in Corporate Boards: A Comparative Study of Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(5), pages 386-399, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:corgov:v:16:y:2008:i:5:p:386-399
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8683.2008.00698.x
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    2. van Veen, Kees & Sahib, Padma Rao & Aangeenbrug, Evelien, 2014. "Where do international board members come from? Country-level antecedents of international board member selection in European boards," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 407-417.
    3. Peter J Baldacchino & Jean Paul Abela & Norbert Tabone & Simon Grima, 2021. "Board of Director Diversity and Its Corporate Governance Implications in Maltese Equity-Listed Companies," International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, International Journal of Finance, Insurance and Risk Management, vol. 11(4), pages 37-65.
    4. Schmid, Stefan & Roedder, Felix, 2021. "Gaijin invasion? A resource dependence perspective on foreign ownership and foreign directors," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
    5. Haotian Wu & Qiqi Sun & Zhihong Zhang & Dongmei Wang, 2024. "Does Board Internationalization Affect Corporate ESG Performance? Evidence from Chinese A-Share-Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-32, December.
    6. Szymon Kaczmarek, 2017. "Rethinking board diversity with the behavioural theory of corporate governance: opportunities and challenges for advances in theorising," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(4), pages 879-906, December.
    7. Tulung, Joy Elly & Ramdani, Dendi, 2015. "The Influence of Top Management Team Characteristics on BPD Performance," MPRA Paper 79906, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2016.
    8. Dalilawati Zainal & Norhayah Zulkifli & Zakiah Saleh, 2013. "Corporate Board Diversity in Malaysia: A Longitudinal Analysis of Gender and Nationality Diversity," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 3(1), pages 136-148, January.
    9. Stefan Schmid & Tobias Dauth, 2012. "Internationale Diversität im Top-Management — Eine empirische Analyse der DAX-30-Unternehmen," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 64(7), pages 772-802, November.
    10. Szymon Kaczmarek & Winfried Ruigrok, 2013. "In at the Deep End of Firm Internationalization," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 53(4), pages 513-534, August.
    11. Ravasi, Claudio, 2013. "Les top managers internationaux des grandes entreprises suisses: profils et parcours de carrière," FSES Working Papers 445, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Freiburg/Fribourg Switzerland.
    12. Du, Xingqiang & Jian, Wei & Lai, Shaojuan, 2017. "Do Foreign Directors Mitigate Earnings Management? Evidence From China," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 142-177.
    13. Ponomareva, Yuliya & Uman, Timur & Bodolica, Virginia & Wennberg, Karl, 2022. "Cultural diversity in top management teams: Review and agenda for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
    14. Bernard P.A. Santen & Auke de Bos, 2015. "The Effects of Legal Measures to Empower Supervisory Directors: Evidence from a Financial Distress Perspective," Journal of Management and Strategy, Journal of Management and Strategy, Sciedu Press, vol. 6(1), pages 45-61, February.
    15. Kravchenko Grygorii, 2021. "International Experts’ Influence on Company Internationalization," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 29(4), pages 57-90, December.
    16. Szymon Kaczmarek & Richard Nyuur, 2022. "The implications of board nationality and gender diversity: evidence from a qualitative comparative analysis," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(3), pages 707-733, September.

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