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Corporate governance and chief executive officer dismissal following poor performance: Australian evidence

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  • James Lau
  • Philip Sinnadurai
  • Sue Wright

Abstract

This paper investigates the association between corporate performance and the probability of chief executive officer (CEO) dismissal for large corporations in Australia. Consistent with prior US and UK studies, corporate performance is negatively related to the probability of CEO dismissal, using both accounting and market‐based performance measures. This paper also investigates whether key corporate governance characteristics affect the likelihood of CEO dismissal, by examining their effect on the strength of the negative association between corporate performance and CEO dismissal. The only significant variable is size of the board. Although its effect is opposite to that hypothesized, this paper provides a plausible explanation. Overall, the results are consistent with shareholder wealth considerations dominating board behaviour in Australia.

Suggested Citation

  • James Lau & Philip Sinnadurai & Sue Wright, 2009. "Corporate governance and chief executive officer dismissal following poor performance: Australian evidence," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 49(1), pages 161-182, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:49:y:2009:i:1:p:161-182
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2008.00278.x
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    2. Husam Aldamen & Keith Duncan & Simone Kelly & Ray McNamara & Stephan Nagel, 2012. "Audit committee characteristics and firm performance during the global financial crisis," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 52(4), pages 971-1000, December.
    3. Reza Zare & Hoda Kiafar & Fatemeh Rasouli & Leila Sadeghi & Sadegh Behbahani, 2013. "Examining Financial Leverage, Profitability and Firm Life Influencing Nonfinancial Information Disclosure Quality," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 6(6), pages 163-175, December.
    4. Pascal Nguyen & Nahid Rahman & Ruoyun Zhao, 2018. "CEO characteristics and firm valuation: a quantile regression analysis," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 22(1), pages 133-151, March.
    5. W Jane Cheung & Andrew B Jackson, 2013. "Chief Executive Officer departures and market uncertainty," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 38(2), pages 279-310, August.
    6. Humphery-Jenner, Mark L. & Powell, Ronan G., 2011. "Firm size, takeover profitability, and the effectiveness of the market for corporate control: Does the absence of anti-takeover provisions make a difference?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 418-437, June.
    7. Dr. Sonia MOUSSA & Dr. Houssem RACHDI & Aymen AMMERI, 2013. "Governance, Managers’ Entrenchment and Performance: Evidence in French Firms Listed in SBF 120," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 3(2), pages 35-48, February.

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