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A Theory of Corporate Boards and Forced CEO Turnover

Author

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  • Thomas J. Chemmanur

    (Carroll School of Management, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467)

  • Viktar Fedaseyeu

    (Bocconi University, 20136 Milan, Italy; IGIER - Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research; 20136 Milan, Italy)

Abstract

We model a corporate board evaluating a chief executive officer (CEO) of uncertain management ability. Each director receives a noisy private signal about CEO ability, after which directors discuss this ability and vote to retain or replace the CEO. Directors care about true CEO ability, since it affects their equity holding values; however, a CEO may impose costs of dissent on a director who votes to fire but fails to oust her. We relate the equilibrium CEO firing decision to board size, board composition, the effect of an imprecise public signal, and the cost and probability of finding a good replacement CEO.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas J. Chemmanur & Viktar Fedaseyeu, 2018. "A Theory of Corporate Boards and Forced CEO Turnover," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(10), pages 4798-4817, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:64:y:2018:i:10:p:4798-4817
    DOI: 10.287/mnsc.2017.2762
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    2. Donaldson, Jason & Piacentino, Giorgia & Malenko, Nadya, 2017. "Deadlock on the Board," CEPR Discussion Papers 12503, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Nadya Malenko, 2011. "Communication and Decision-Making in Corporate Boards," 2011 Meeting Papers 449, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    4. Lamoreaux, Phillip T. & Litov, Lubomir P. & Mauler, Landon M., 2019. "lead Independent Directors: Good governance or window dressing?," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 47-69.
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    6. Huang, Sheng & Maharjan, Johan & Thakor, Anjan V., 2020. "Disagreement-induced CEO turnover," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
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    9. Miriam Schwartz-Ziv & Michael Weisbach, 2011. "What do Boards Really Do? Evidence from Minutes of Board Meetings," NBER Working Papers 17509, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Fedaseyeu, Viktar & Linck, James S. & Wagner, Hannes F., 2018. "Do qualifications matter? New evidence on board functions and director compensation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 816-839.
    11. Li, Tianshi & Yang, Tina & Zhu, Jigao, 2022. "Directors’ and officers’ liability insurance: Evidence from independent directors’ voting," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).

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