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Applying the ‘comply-or-explain’ principle: discursive legitimacy tactics with regard to codes of corporate governance

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  • David Seidl
  • Paul Sanderson
  • John Roberts

Abstract

The comply-or-explain principle is a central element of most codes of corporate governance. Originally put forward by the Cadbury Committee in the UK as a practical means of establishing a code of corporate governance whilst avoiding an inflexible “one size fits all” approach, it has since been incorporated into code regimes around the world. Companies can either comply with code provisions or may explain why they do not comply, i.e., why they deviate from a code provision. Despite its wide application very little is known about the ways in which comply-or-explain is used. In addressing this we employ legitimacy theory by which explanations for deviating can be understood as means of legitimizing the company’s actions. We analyzed the compliance statements and reports of 257 listed companies in the UK and Germany, producing some 715 records of deviation. From this we generated an empirically derived taxonomy of the explanations. In a second order analysis we examine the underlying logic and identify various legitimacy tactics. We discuss the consequences of these legitimacy tactics for code regimes and the implications for policy makers. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. 2013

Suggested Citation

  • David Seidl & Paul Sanderson & John Roberts, 2013. "Applying the ‘comply-or-explain’ principle: discursive legitimacy tactics with regard to codes of corporate governance," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 17(3), pages 791-826, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jmgtgv:v:17:y:2013:i:3:p:791-826
    DOI: 10.1007/s10997-011-9209-y
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    2. Shrives, Philip J. & Brennan, Niamh M., 2015. "A typology for exploring the quality of explanations for non-compliance with UK corporate governance regulations," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 85-99.
    3. Leona Achtenhagen & Petra Inwinkl & Jacob Björktorp & Robert Källenius, 2018. "More than two decades after the Cadbury Report: How far has Sweden, as role model for corporate-governance practices, come?," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 15(4), pages 235-251, November.
    4. Rose, Caspar, 2016. "Firm performance and comply or explain disclosure in corporate governance," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 34(3), pages 202-222.
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    7. Pietro Previtali & Paola Cerchiello, 2019. "Patterns of compliance with soft regulation in Italian listed companies," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 16(1), pages 37-46, March.
    8. Torbjörn Tagesson & Sven-Olof Yrjö Collin, 2016. "Corporate governance influencing compliance with the Swedish Code of Corporate Governance," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 13(3), pages 262-277, August.
    9. Ilya Okhmatovskiy, 2017. "Self-regulation of corporate governance in Russian firms: translating the national standard into internal policies," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(2), pages 499-532, June.
    10. Colleen Honigsberg, 2019. "Hedge Fund Regulation and Fund Governance: Evidence on the Effects of Mandatory Disclosure Rules," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 845-888, September.
    11. Michael Espindola Araki & Henrique Castro Martins, 2022. "Integrating uncertainty and governance into a capital structure puzzle: can risk-taking and rule-taking explain zero-leverage firms?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(6), pages 1979-2034, August.
    12. Rodríguez Fernández, Mercedes, 2015. "Company financial performance: Does board size matter? Case of the EUROSTOXX50 index," Cuadernos de Gestión, Universidad del País Vasco - Instituto de Economía Aplicada a la Empresa (IEAE).
    13. Peter J. Baldacchino & Nirvana Duca & Norbert Tabone & Simon Grima, 2020. "Corporate Governance Transparency in Small Listed Entities: The Case of Malta," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(2), pages 23-44.
    14. Manuel E. Núñez Izquierdo & Josep Garcia‐Blandon & Christopher F. Baum, 2021. "Evaluating the impact of compliance with governance recommendations on firm performance: The case of Spain," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 3788-3806, July.
    15. John Roberts & Paul Sanderson & David Seidl & Antonije Krivokapic, 2020. "The UK Corporate Governance Code Principle of ‘Comply or Explain’: Understanding Code Compliance as ‘Subjection’," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 56(4), pages 602-626, December.
    16. Peter J Baldacchino & Claire Vella & Simon Grima, 2019. "The Corporate Governance Code and Compliance by Maltese Listed Companies," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(2), pages 71-90.
    17. Subhan Ullah & Sardar Ahmad & Saeed Akbar & Devendra Kodwani & Jane Frecknall‐Hughes, 2021. "Governance disclosure quality and market valuation of firms in UK and Germany," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 5031-5055, October.
    18. Shrives, Philip J. & Brennan, Niamh M., 2017. "Explanations for corporate governance non-compliance: A rhetorical analysis," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 31-56.

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