Expertise, Structure, and Reputation of Corporate Boards
64 Pages Posted: 20 Jun 2011 Last revised: 6 Jul 2012
Date Written: July 1, 2012
Abstract
This paper studies the optimal structure of the board with an emphasis on the expertise of directors. The analysis provides three main results. First, the expertise of a value-maximizing board can harm shareholder value. Second, it is optimal to design a board whose members are biased against the manager, especially when their expertise is high. Third, directors' desire to demonstrate expertise can shift power from the board to the manager on the expense of shareholders. The effect of these reputation concerns is amplified when the communication within the boardroom is transparent.
Keywords: Board of Directors, Communication, Information Acquisition, Expertise, Reputation, Transparency
JEL Classification: D74, D82, D83, L14, G34
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
The Modern Industrial Revolution, Exit, and the Failure of Internal Control Systems
-
Boards of Directors as an Endogenously Determined Institution: A Survey of the Economic Literature
-
Boards of Directors as an Endogenously Determined Institution: A Survey of the Economic Literature
-
Boards of Directors as an Endogenously Determined Institution: A Survey of the Economic Literature
-
CEO Involvement in the Selection of New Board Members: An Empirical Analysis
By David Yermack and Anil Shivdasani
-
The Uncertain Relationship between Board Composition and Firm Performance
By Sanjai Bhagat and Bernard S. Black
-
The Non-Correlation between Board Independence and Long-Term Firm Performance
By Sanjai Bhagat and Bernard S. Black
-
The Non-Correlation between Board Independence And Long-Term Firm Performance
By Sanjai Bhagat and Bernard S. Black