IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/jfr/bmr111/v6y2017i4p64-75.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ubuntu or Botho African Culture and Corporate Governance: A Case for Diversity in Corporate Boards

Author

Listed:
  • Tebogo Israel Teddy Magang
  • Veronica Goitsemang Magang

Abstract

This paper aims to provide a theoretical analysis on the relationship between nationality/ethnicity and compliance with international best practice corporate governance principles. Using Hofstede-Gray cultural-accounting dimensions, the paper attempts to demonstrate that the Ubuntu/Botho culture may in some instances promote/not promote compliance with international best practice corporate governance principles because of the value system(s) of this culture. In view of this, the paper further attempts to present a case for diversity in corporate boards and executive management to enhance corporate compliance with best practice corporate governance principles, performance, disclosure etc. in line with the literature and theoretical arguments on diversity.On one hand, this paper provides future research an opportunity to empirically assess the relationship between corporate compliance with international best practice and nationality/ethnicity (Ubuntu/Botho culture). Future research could also investigate whether the Ubuntu/Botho values hold true today in view of the autocratic regimes in the African continent which have perfected a culture of impunity, corruption and bad governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Tebogo Israel Teddy Magang & Veronica Goitsemang Magang, 2017. "Ubuntu or Botho African Culture and Corporate Governance: A Case for Diversity in Corporate Boards," Business and Management Research, Business and Management Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 6(4), pages 64-75, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:jfr:bmr111:v:6:y:2017:i:4:p:64-75
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/bmr/article/download/12615/7843
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.sciedupress.com/journal/index.php/bmr/article/view/12615
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Steve Letza & Xiuping Sun & James Kirkbride, 2004. "Shareholding Versus Stakeholding: a critical review of corporate governance," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(3), pages 242-262, July.
    2. Andrew West, 2006. "Theorising South Africa’s Corporate Governance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 68(4), pages 433-448, November.
    3. Masulis, Ronald W. & Wang, Cong & Xie, Fei, 2012. "Globalizing the boardroom—The effects of foreign directors on corporate governance and firm performance," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 527-554.
    4. Jiatao Li & J. Richard Harrison, 2008. "National Culture and the Composition and Leadership Structure of Boards of Directors," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(5), pages 375-385, September.
    5. Baskerville-Morley, Rachel F., 2005. "A research note: the unfinished business of culture," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 389-391, May.
    6. Winfried Ruigrok & Simon Peck & Sabina Tacheva, 2007. "Nationality and Gender Diversity on Swiss Corporate Boards," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 546-557, July.
    7. Niclas L. Erhardt & James D. Werbel & Charles B. Shrader, 2003. "Board of Director Diversity and Firm Financial Performance," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(2), pages 102-111, April.
    8. Brickley, James A. & Zimmerman, Jerold L., 2010. "Corporate governance myths: Comments on Armstrong, Guay, and Weber," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 235-245, December.
    9. Helen Kang & Mandy Cheng & Sidney J. Gray, 2007. "Corporate Governance and Board Composition: diversity and independence of Australian boards," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 194-207, March.
    10. Belkaoui, Ahmed, 1983. "Economic, political, and civil indicators and reporting and disclosure adequacy: Empirical investigation," Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 207-219.
    11. R.M. Haniffa & T. E. Cooke, 2002. "Culture, Corporate Governance and Disclosure in Malaysian Corporations," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 38(3), pages 317-349, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Naeem Tabassum & Satwinder Singh, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Organisational Performance," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-48527-6, December.
    2. Shehata, Nermeen, 2022. "Board National Diversity and Dividend Policy: Evidence from Egyptian listed companies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    3. Rekha Handa, 2021. "Does Presence of Foreign Directors Make a Difference? A Case of Indian IPOs," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 9(1), pages 111-127, January.
    4. Ahmadi, Ali & Nakaa, Nejia & Bouri, Abdelfettah, 2018. "Chief Executive Officer attributes, board structures, gender diversity and firm performance among French CAC 40 listed firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 218-226.
    5. Rihab Grassa & Nejia Moumen & Khaled Hussainey, 2021. "What drives risk disclosure in Islamic and conventional banks? An international comparison," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 6338-6361, October.
    6. Perihan Iren & Kienpin Tee, 2018. "Boardroom Diversity And Innovation In The Uae Banks," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(03), pages 1-25, April.
    7. Schmid, Stefan & Roedder, Felix, 2021. "Gaijin invasion? A resource dependence perspective on foreign ownership and foreign directors," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(6).
    8. Rania B'eji & Ouidad Yousfi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance: A cognitive approach," Papers 2102.09218, arXiv.org.
    9. Kent Baker, H. & Pandey, Nitesh & Kumar, Satish & Haldar, Arunima, 2020. "A bibliometric analysis of board diversity: Current status, development, and future research directions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 232-246.
    10. Rania Béji & Ouidad Yousfi & Abdelwahed Omri, 2020. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Governance: A cognitive approach," Post-Print hal-03144756, HAL.
    11. Dalilawati Zainal & Norhayah Zulkifli & Zakiah Saleh, 2013. "Corporate Board Diversity in Malaysia: A Longitudinal Analysis of Gender and Nationality Diversity," International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, vol. 3(1), pages 136-148, January.
    12. Ha Thanh Nguyen & Balachandran Muniandy, 2021. "Gender, ethnicity and stock liquidity: evidence from South Africa," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(S1), pages 2337-2377, April.
    13. Mustafa K. Yilmaz & Umit Hacioglu & Ekrem Tatoglu & Mine Aksoy & Selman Duran, 2023. "Measuring the impact of board gender and cultural diversity on corporate governance and social performance: evidence from emerging markets," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 2106503-210, December.
    14. Haroon ur Rashid Khan & Waqas Bin Khidmat & Sadia Awan, 2021. "Board diversity, financial flexibility and corporate innovation: evidence from China," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(2), pages 303-326, June.
    15. María Consuelo Pucheta-Martínez & Isabel Gallego-Álvarez, 2020. "Do board characteristics drive firm performance? An international perspective," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(6), pages 1251-1297, December.
    16. Thams, Yannick & Kelley, Keith & Von Glinow, Mary Ann, 2018. "Foreigners in the boardroom: The implications of attitudes toward immigration and conservatism in firms' sub-national context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 8-18.
    17. Aminah Nalikka, 2009. "Impact of Gender Diversity on Voluntary Disclosure in Annual Reports," Accounting & Taxation, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 1(1), pages 101-113.
    18. Martin Arnegger & Christian Hofmann & Kerstin Pull & Karin Vetter, 2014. "Firm size and board diversity," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(4), pages 1109-1135, November.
    19. Saidu Musa & Nusirat Ojuolape Gold & Hope Osayantin Aifuwa, 2020. "Board Diversity and Sustainability Reporting: Evidence from Industrial Goods Firms," Business & Management Compass, University of Economics Varna, issue 4, pages 377-398.
    20. Oehmichen, Jana, 2018. "East meets west—Corporate governance in Asian emerging markets: A literature review and research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 465-480.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • R00 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General - - - General
    • Z0 - Other Special Topics - - General

    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:jfr:bmr111:v:6:y:2017:i:4:p:64-75. 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: Simon Lee (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://bmr.sciedupress.com .

    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.