IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finana/v88y2023ics1057521923002235.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Board reforms and innovation

Author

Listed:
  • Ahmad, Muhammad Farooq
  • Aziz, Saqib
  • Dowling, Michael
  • Kowalewski, Oskar

Abstract

We study the effect of board reforms on firms' research and development (R&D) investments utilizing a sample of 41 countries. Using a difference-in-differences analysis, we find that firms invest more in R&D following corporate governance reforms. Of these, two legal reforms — having an independent audit committee and board independence — have a greater impact on R&D investment. Additionally, we show that board reforms have a more pronounced effect on R&D investment in hi-tech industries and the health sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmad, Muhammad Farooq & Aziz, Saqib & Dowling, Michael & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2023. "Board reforms and innovation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:88:y:2023:i:c:s1057521923002235
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2023.102707
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057521923002235
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.irfa.2023.102707?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Holmstrom, Bengt, 1989. "Agency costs and innovation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 305-327, December.
    2. Attah-Boakye, Rexford & Adams, Kweku & Kimani, Danson & Ullah, Subhan, 2020. "The impact of board gender diversity and national culture on corporate innovation: A multi-country analysis of multinational corporations operating in emerging economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    3. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W, 1997. "A Survey of Corporate Governance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(2), pages 737-783, June.
    4. Vincent L. Barker , III & George C. Mueller, 2002. "CEO Characteristics and Firm R&D Spending," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 48(6), pages 782-801, June.
    5. Balsmeier, Benjamin & Fleming, Lee & Manso, Gustavo, 2017. "Independent boards and innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(3), pages 536-557.
    6. Raquel Ortega-Argilés & Rosina Moreno & Jordi Caralt, 2005. "Ownership structure and innovation: is there a real link?," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 39(4), pages 637-662, December.
    7. Jacques Mairesse & Mohamed Sassenou, 1991. "R&D Productivity: A Survey of Econometric Studies at the Firm Level," NBER Working Papers 3666, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Ahmad, Muhammad Farooq & Aziz, Saqib & El-Khatib, Rwan & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2023. "Firm-level political risk and dividend payout," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    9. Manohar Singh & Sheri Faircloth, 2005. "The impact of corporate debt on long term investment and firm performance," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(8), pages 875-883.
    10. Philippe Aghion & John Van Reenen & Luigi Zingales, 2013. "Innovation and Institutional Ownership," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(1), pages 277-304, February.
    11. Opler, Tim & Pinkowitz, Lee & Stulz, Rene & Williamson, Rohan, 1999. "The determinants and implications of corporate cash holdings," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 3-46, April.
    12. Thomas Dalziel & Richard J. Gentry & Michael Bowerman, 2011. "An Integrated Agency–Resource Dependence View of the Influence of Directors' Human and Relational Capital on Firms' R&D Spending," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48, pages 1217-1242, September.
    13. Honoré, Florence & Munari, Federico & van Pottelsberghe de La Potterie, Bruno, 2015. "Corporate governance practices and companies’ R&D intensity: Evidence from European countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 533-543.
    14. Filippo Belloc, 2012. "Corporate Governance And Innovation: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(5), pages 835-864, December.
    15. Charles W. L. Hill & Scott A. Snell, 1988. "External control, corporate strategy, and firm performance in research‐intensive industries," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(6), pages 577-590, November.
    16. Griffin, Dale & Li, Kai & Xu, Ting, 2021. "Board Gender Diversity and Corporate Innovation: International Evidence," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 123-154, February.
    17. Dechow, Patricia M. & Sloan, Richard G., 1991. "Executive incentives and the horizon problem : An empirical investigation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 51-89, March.
    18. Florian Ederer & Gustavo Manso, 2013. "Is Pay for Performance Detrimental to Innovation?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(7), pages 1496-1513, July.
    19. Gu, Yuqi & Zhang, Ling, 2017. "The impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on corporate innovation," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 17-30.
    20. Li, Tao & Wang, Yan, 2022. "Corporate responsibility towards employees and innovation: Evidence from an emerging market," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    21. Fauver, Larry & Hung, Mingyi & Li, Xi & Taboada, Alvaro G., 2017. "Board reforms and firm value: Worldwide evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(1), pages 120-142.
    22. Atanasov, Vladimir & Black, Bernard, 2016. "Shock-Based Causal Inference in Corporate Finance and Accounting Research," Critical Finance Review, now publishers, vol. 5(2), pages 207-304, December.
    23. O’Connor, Matthew & Rafferty, Matthew, 2012. "Corporate Governance and Innovation," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(2), pages 397-413, April.
    24. Bhagat, Sanjai & Welch, Ivo, 1995. "Corporate research & development investments international comparisons," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 443-470, April.
    25. Elsayed, Mohamed & Elshandidy, Tamer & Ahmed, Yousry, 2022. "Corporate failure in the UK: An examination of corporate governance reforms," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    26. Pakes, Ariel, 1985. "On Patents, R&D, and the Stock Market Rate of Return," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(2), pages 390-409, April.
    27. Mukherjee, Abhiroop & Singh, Manpreet & Žaldokas, Alminas, 2017. "Do corporate taxes hinder innovation?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(1), pages 195-221.
    28. Muhammad Farooq Ahmad & Christof Beuselinck & Helen Bollaert, 2017. "Employment Protection and Payout Policy," Finance, Presses universitaires de Grenoble, vol. 38(3), pages 5-43.
    29. David Hirshleifer & Angie Low & Siew Hong Teoh, 2012. "Are Overconfident CEOs Better Innovators?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 67(4), pages 1457-1498, August.
    30. Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 1997. "Industry costs of equity," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 153-193, February.
    31. Gugler, Klaus, 2003. "Corporate governance, dividend payout policy, and the interrelation between dividends, R&D, and capital investment," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 1297-1321, July.
    32. Rinaldo Evangelista & Tore Sandven & Giorgio Sirilli & Keith Smith, 1998. "Measuring Innovation in European Industry," International Journal of the Economics of Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(3), pages 311-333.
    33. Driver, Ciaran & Guedes, Maria João Coelho, 2012. "Research and development, cash flow, agency and governance: UK large companies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(9), pages 1565-1577.
    34. Chung, Kee H. & Wright, Peter & Kedia, Ben, 2003. "Corporate governance and market valuation of capital and R&D investments," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 161-172.
    35. Munari, Federico & Oriani, Raffaele & Sobrero, Maurizio, 2010. "The effects of owner identity and external governance systems on R&D investments: A study of Western European firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(8), pages 1093-1104, October.
    36. Hall, Bronwyn H & Ziedonis, Rosemarie Ham, 2001. "The Patent Paradox Revisited: An Empirical Study of Patenting in the U.S. Semiconductor Industry, 1979-1995," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 32(1), pages 101-128, Spring.
    37. Olubunmi Faleye, 2011. "Ceo Directors, Executive Incentives, And Corporate Strategic Initiatives," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 34(2), pages 241-277, June.
    38. Kee H. Chung & Peter Wright & Ben Kedia, 2003. "Corporate governance and market valuation of capital and R&D investments," Review of Financial Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 12(2), pages 161-172.
    39. Stephane Lhuillery, 2011. "The impact of corporate governance practices on R&D efforts: a look at shareholders' rights, cross-listing, and control pyramid," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 20(5), pages 1475-1513, October.
    40. Faleye, Olubunmi & Kovacs, Tunde & Venkateswaran, Anand, 2014. "Do Better-Connected CEOs Innovate More?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 49(5-6), pages 1201-1225, December.
    41. Coombs, R. & Narandren, P. & Richards, A., 1996. "A literature-based innovation output indicator," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 403-413, May.
    42. Chen, Ruiyuan (Ryan) & Guedhami, Omrane & Yang, Yang & Zaynutdinova, Gulnara R., 2020. "Corporate governance and cash holdings: Evidence from worldwide board reforms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    43. Block, Joern H., 2012. "R&D investments in family and founder firms: An agency perspective," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 248-265.
    44. An, Heng & Chen, Carl R. & Wu, Qun & Zhang, Ting, 2021. "Corporate Innovation: Do Diverse Boards Help?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(1), pages 155-182, February.
    45. Peggy M. Lee, 2005. "A comparison of ownership structures and innovations of US and Japanese firms," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 39-50.
    46. Francis, Jennifer & Smith, Abbie, 1995. "Agency costs and innovation some empirical evidence," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 383-409, April.
    47. Bargeron, Leonce L. & Lehn, Kenneth M. & Zutter, Chad J., 2010. "Sarbanes-Oxley and corporate risk-taking," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1-2), pages 34-52, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Li, Weibin & Huang, Yingling & Zhou, Hongyong & Liu, Xin, 2024. "CEO power, internal control quality, and entrepreneurial innovation spirit in family enterprises," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ciaran Driver & Maria João Coelho Guedes, 2017. "R&D and CEO departure date: do financial incentives make CEOs more opportunistic?," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(5), pages 801-820.
    2. Honoré, Florence & Munari, Federico & van Pottelsberghe de La Potterie, Bruno, 2015. "Corporate governance practices and companies’ R&D intensity: Evidence from European countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 533-543.
    3. Choi, Paul Moon Sub & Chung, Chune Young & Vo, Xuan Vinh & Wang, Kainan, 2020. "Are better-governed firms more innovative? Evidence from Korea," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 263-279.
    4. Su, Kun & Wu, Ji & Lu, Yue, 2022. "With trust we innovate: Evidence from corporate R&D expenditure," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    5. Peter-Jan Engelen & Marc van Essen, 2013. "Effects of firm-level corporate governance and country-level economic governance institutions on R&D curtailment during crisis times," Chapters, in: Mehmet Ugur (ed.), Governance, Regulation and Innovation, chapter 3, pages 58-85, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    6. Huang, Hua & Tao, Yunqing & Wang, Xueping & Feng, Chen & Ye, Yongwei, 2023. "Do board reforms in parent firms boost subsidiaries’ innovation?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    7. Tolossa Fufa Gulema & Zhou Xiaoyan, 2021. "Mediating Role of Innovation Capacity in the Relationship between Corporate governance and Firm Performance: evidence from Chinese listed firms," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 5(4), pages 105-122.
    8. Sellami Basma, 2008. "Gouvernement D'Entreprise Et Investissement En R&D : Une Etude Sur Le Sbf 250," Post-Print halshs-00525983, HAL.
    9. Filippo Belloc & Eleonora Laurenza & M. Alessandra Rossi, 2016. "Corporate governance effects on innovation when both agency costs and asset specificity matter," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 25(6), pages 977-999.
    10. Xiaoran Huang & Zheng Qiao & Lei Zhang, 2021. "The real effects of institutional spatial concentration," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 50(4), pages 1113-1167, December.
    11. Felix J. Lopez-Iturriaga & Emilio Lopez-Millan, 2015. "Institutional Framework, Corporate Ownership Structure, and R&D Investment: An International Analysis," HSE Working papers WP BRP 36/MAN/2015, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    12. Filippo Belloc & Eleonora laurenza & Maria Alessandra Rossi, 2015. "Corporate Governance and Sectoral Patterns of Innovation: Evidence from Italian Manufacturing Industries," Department of Economics University of Siena 706, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    13. Mark Humphery‐Jenner & Emdad Islam & Lubna Rahman & Jo‐Ann Suchard, 2022. "Powerful CEOs and Corporate Governance," Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(1), pages 135-188, March.
    14. Shital Jhunjhunwala & Shweta Sharda & J. P. Sharma, 2021. "Translating Innovation into Performance: Understanding Role of the Board," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 14(1), pages 9-26, June.
    15. Chen, Yan & Zhang, Bin, 2013. "基于所有权视角的企业创新理论框架与体系 [The Theoretical Framework and System of Innovation within Enterprises: Based on the Perspective of Ownership]," MPRA Paper 47078, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Gu, Yuqi & Zhang, Ling, 2017. "The impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on corporate innovation," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 17-30.
    17. Byun, SeongK. & Fuller, Kathleen & Lin, Zhilu, 2021. "The costs and benefits associated with inventor CEOs," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    18. Huang, Yi-Hou & Liang, Woan-lih & Truong, Quang-Thai & Wang, Yanzhi, 2022. "No new tricks for old dogs? Old directors and innovation performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    19. Ziyang Li & Qianwei Ying & Wu Yan & Chenjun Fan, 2022. "Does just‐in‐time adoption have an impact on corporate innovation: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1599-1635, April.
    20. Bruno van Pottelsberghe, 2011. "Corporate governance practices and companies' R&D orientation- evidence from European countries," Working Papers 492, Bruegel.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate governance; Board reforms; Corporate law; Innovation; Research and development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:88:y:2023:i:c:s1057521923002235. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620166 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.