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Who's the Boss at the Top? A Micro‐Level Analysis of Director Expertise, Status and Conformity Within Boards

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  • Dennis B. Veltrop
  • Eric Molleman
  • Reggy B. H. Hooghiemstra
  • Hans van Ees

Abstract

In this paper we address how director expertise impacts a director's social status and conformity within the board. Our results, derived from two unique multi‐source datasets of peer ratings on director status and conformity of non‐executive directors from Dutch organizations, indicate that industry‐specific expertise and financial expertise differently impact directors’ social status and influence within the board. We find that directors’ individual performance orientation – the motivation to demonstrate expertise – acts as an important contingency for expertise to increase directors’ status within the board. Additional analyses using archival data and interviews with non‐executive directors substantiate our findings and provide additional insight into the dynamics operating within boards. This study extends existing research on boards of directors and provides unique micro‐level insights into the boardroom dynamics that connect director expertise to director status and conformity within boards.

Suggested Citation

  • Dennis B. Veltrop & Eric Molleman & Reggy B. H. Hooghiemstra & Hans van Ees, 2017. "Who's the Boss at the Top? A Micro‐Level Analysis of Director Expertise, Status and Conformity Within Boards," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(7), pages 1079-1110, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:54:y:2017:i:7:p:1079-1110
    DOI: 10.1111/joms.12276
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Datta, Deepak K. & Basuil, Dynah A. & Agarwal, Ankita, 2020. "Effects of board characteristics on post-acquisition performance: A study of cross-border acquisitions by firms in the manufacturing sector," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    2. Haroon ur Rashid Khan & Waqas Bin Khidmat & Muhammad Danish Habib & Sadia Awan, 2022. "Academic directors in board and corporate expropriation: Evidence from China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(2), pages 372-397, March.
    3. Hansin Bilgili & Jonathan L. Johnson & Tsvetomira V. Bilgili & Alan E. Ellstrand, 2022. "Research on social relationships and processes governing the behaviors of members of the corporate elite: a review and bibliometric analysis," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(8), pages 2285-2339, November.
    4. Wang, Joyce C. & Zhao, Yiyi & Sun, Sunny L. & Zhu, Jigao, 2023. "Female-friendly boards in family firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    5. Oehmichen, Jana & Firk, Sebastian & Wolff, Michael & Haas, Veronika, 2022. "Board experience and value creation in cross-border acquisitions: The role of acquirer and target country institutions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(4).

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