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Do firms adjust corporate governance in response to economic policy uncertainty? Evidence from board size

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  • Ongsakul, Viput
  • Treepongkaruna, Sirimon
  • Jiraporn, Pornsit
  • Uyar, Ali

Abstract

Prior research shows that board size has a significant effect on firm performance. Therefore, board size is a crucial aspect of the board of directors. Drawing on institutional theory, we investigate how firms adjust board size in response to economic policy uncertainty (EPU). We find that firms reduce board size in the presence of EPU. In particular, a rise in EPU by one standard deviation reduces board size by 21.61% on average. Our results are consistent with the notion that agency conflicts are more severe in the presence of EPU. Accordingly, firms strengthen their corporate governance by reducing board size.

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  • Ongsakul, Viput & Treepongkaruna, Sirimon & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Uyar, Ali, 2021. "Do firms adjust corporate governance in response to economic policy uncertainty? Evidence from board size," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:39:y:2021:i:c:s1544612320301100
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2020.101613
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    Cited by:

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    4. Gonçalves, Tiago & Barros, Victor & Serra, Gonçalo, 2022. "Political elections uncertainty and earnings management: Does firm size really matter?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 214(C).
    5. Jieh-Haur Chen & Tien-Sheng Chou & Jui-Pin Wang & Hsi-Hsien Wei & Tzu-Han Yang, 2021. "Sustainable Corporate Governance: The Impact Factors for Top Consulting Engineering Companies in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Mohamed M. Sraieb & Lasha Labadze, 2022. "A Dynamic Perspective on the Gender Diversity–Firms’ Environmental Performances Nexus: Evidence from the Energy Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-15, June.
    7. Weilong Wang & Jianlong Wang & Shaersaikai Wulaer & Bing Chen & Xiaodong Yang, 2021. "The Effect of Innovative Entrepreneurial Vitality on Economic Resilience Based on a Spatial Perspective: Economic Policy Uncertainty as a Moderating Variable," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-23, September.
    8. Funashima, Yoshito, 2022. "Effects of unanticipated monetary policy shocks on monetary policy uncertainty," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PA).
    9. Davidmac O. Ekeocha & Jonathan E. Ogbuabor & Oliver E. Ogbonna & Anthony Orji, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty, governance institutions and economic performance in Africa: are there regional differences?," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(3), pages 1367-1431, June.
    10. Lv, Wendai & Qi, Jipeng & Feng, Jing, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and environmental governance company volatility: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    11. Xu, Can, 2023. "Do households react to policy uncertainty by increasing savings?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 770-785.
    12. Bhattacherjee, Purba & Mishra, Sibanjan & Kang, Sang Hoon, 2023. "Does market sentiment and global uncertainties influence ESG-oil nexus? A time-frequency analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    13. Chindasombatcharoen, Pongsapak & Chatjuthamard, Pattanaporn & Jiraporn, Pornsit, 2023. "Corporate culture, cultural diversification, and independent directors: Evidence from earnings conference calls," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    14. Chatjuthamard, Pattanaporn & Ongsakul, Viput & Jiraporn, Pornsit, 2022. "Corporate complexity, managerial myopia, and hostile takeover exposure: Evidence from textual analysis," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    15. Ongsakul, Viput & Chatjuthamard, Pattanaporn & Jiraporn, Pornsit & Chaivisuttangkun, Sirithida, 2021. "Corporate integrity and hostile takeover threats: Evidence from machine learning and “CEO luck”," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Board size; Economic policy uncertainty; Corporate governance; Board of directors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E66 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - General Outlook and Conditions
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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