IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jecomi/v11y2023i1p21-d1031097.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Do Publicly Listed Insurance Firms in Saudi Arabia Have Strong Corporate Governance?

Author

Listed:
  • Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan

    (School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Faculty of Business and Law, University of Portsmouth, Richmond Building, Portland Street, Portsmouth PO1 3DE, UK)

  • Jassem Alokla

    (Department of Accounting and Finance, Sussex Business School, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9SN, UK)

Abstract

Saudi Arabia has now opened its markets to foreign investors in line with its strategy to diversify its economy. However, investors need to feel confident that Saudi enterprises are being monitored and regulated appropriately. This study identifies the impact of improvements in Saudi corporate governance practices among insurance firms. The effects of corporate governance on the financial performance of 35 insurance firms listed on the Saudi stock market are examined from 2008 to 2014, including Shariah-compliant and life insurance firms. Four different methodologies are used: the generalised least squares random effect, fixed effect models, a difference-in-differences (DID) measurement for comparisons, and the probit model with average marginal effect to address endogeneity. The results indicate that firm performance is affected by information asymmetry. The 2009 exogenous shock from the Saudi regulatory change to board composition and audit committee size shows a positive effect on performance in the DID comparison. However, an increase in independent board and audit committee members has a significant negative effect. Other findings indicate that an increase in CEO (Chief Executive Officer) age has a positive effect on performance, as do three pay variables (director incentives, CEO and top executive pay, and above-the-mean director incentives). However, when CEO and top executive pay increases above the mean, the effect turns negative; this also happens with a change in CEO from poor performance. The results support the importance of Saudi insurance industry corporate governance regulation and reflect the improved governance perspectives of the Saudi Capital Market Authority and Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency.

Suggested Citation

  • Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan & Jassem Alokla, 2023. "Do Publicly Listed Insurance Firms in Saudi Arabia Have Strong Corporate Governance?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-41, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jecomi:v:11:y:2023:i:1:p:21-:d:1031097
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/11/1/21/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7099/11/1/21/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michael C. Jensen, 2010. "The Modern Industrial Revolution, Exit, and the Failure of Internal Control Systems," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 22(1), pages 43-58, January.
    2. Volpin, Paolo F., 2002. "Governance with poor investor protection: evidence from top executive turnover in Italy," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 61-90, April.
    3. Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh & Dockery, Everton, 2017. "Ownership structure and corporate governance: What does the data reveal about Saudi listed firms?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(4-2), pages 413-424.
    4. Murphy, Kevin J., 1985. "Corporate performance and managerial remuneration : An empirical analysis," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1-3), pages 11-42, April.
    5. Husam Aldamen & Keith Duncan & Simone Kelly & Ray McNamara, 2020. "Corporate governance and family firm performance during the Global Financial Crisis," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(2), pages 1673-1701, June.
    6. Li, Ke & Lu, Lei & Mittoo, Usha R. & Zhang, Zhou, 2015. "Board independence, ownership concentration and corporate performance—Chinese evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 162-175.
    7. Faozi A. Almaqtari & Mohd. Shamim & Hamood Mohd. Al-Hattami & Saleem Ahmed Aqlan, 2020. "Corporate governance in India and some selected Gulf countries," International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 12(2), pages 165-185.
    8. Coles, Jeffrey L. & Daniel, Naveen D. & Naveen, Lalitha, 2008. "Boards: Does one size fit all," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 329-356, February.
    9. Liu, Yu & Miletkov, Mihail K. & Wei, Zuobao & Yang, Tina, 2015. "Board independence and firm performance in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 223-244.
    10. Li-Ying Huang & Tzy-yih Hsiao & Gene C. Lai, 2007. "Does Corporate Governance and Ownership Structure Influence Performance? Evidence from Taiwan Life Insurance Companies," Journal of Insurance Issues, Western Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 30(2), pages 123-151.
    11. Boone, Audra L. & Casares Field, Laura & Karpoff, Jonathan M. & Raheja, Charu G., 2007. "The determinants of corporate board size and composition: An empirical analysis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(1), pages 66-101, July.
    12. Siew-Boey Yeoh & Chee-Wooi Hooy, 2022. "CEO age and risk-taking of family business in Malaysia: The inverse S-curve relationship," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 273-293, March.
    13. Andrea Cecrdlova, 2021. "Comparison of the Approach of the Czech National Bank and the European Central Bank to the Effects of the Global Financial Crisis," International Journal of Economic Sciences, European Research Center, vol. 10(2), pages 18-46, December.
    14. Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan & Everton Dockery, 2021. "Testing for efficiency in the Saudi stock market: does corporate governance change matter?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(1), pages 61-90, July.
    15. Gibson, Michael S., 2003. "Is Corporate Governance Ineffective in Emerging Markets?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(1), pages 231-250, March.
    16. Balcilar, Mehmet & Gupta, Rangan & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Olasehinde-Williams, Godwin, 2018. "The synergistic effect of insurance and banking sector activities on economic growth in Africa," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 42(4), pages 637-648.
    17. Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2021. "The Effect of Board Composition and Managerial Pay on Saudi Firm Performance," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue Online fi.
    18. McConnell, John J. & Servaes, Henri, 1990. "Additional evidence on equity ownership and corporate value," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 595-612, October.
    19. Kenneth M. Lehn & Sukesh Patro & Mengxin Zhao, 2009. "Determinants of the Size and Composition of US Corporate Boards: 1935‐2000," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 38(4), pages 747-780, December.
    20. Coughlan, Anne T. & Schmidt, Ronald M., 1985. "Executive compensation, management turnover, and firm performance : An empirical investigation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 7(1-3), pages 43-66, April.
    21. Renée Birgit Adams, 2012. "Governance and the Financial Crisis," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 12(1), pages 7-38, March.
    22. 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.
    23. Clement Olalekan Olaniyi & Olaolu Richard Olayeni, 2020. "A new perspective into the relationship between CEO pay and firm performance: evidence from Nigeria’s listed firms," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 22(2), pages 250-277, December.
    24. Irene Karamanou & Nikos Vafeas, 2005. "The Association between Corporate Boards, Audit Committees, and Management Earnings Forecasts: An Empirical Analysis," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(3), pages 453-486, June.
    25. Yaser Shaheen & Nasser Jaradat, 2019. "Corporate Governance Impact on Insurance Firm's Performance. The Case of Palestine," 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. 9(3), pages 201-210, July.
    26. Bhagat, Sanjai & Bolton, Brian, 2008. "Corporate governance and firm performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 257-273, June.
    27. Bassam ALBASSAM, 2021. "Managing Public Debt: The Case of Saudi Arabia," International Journal of Economic Sciences, European Research Center, vol. 10(1), pages 20-38, June.
    28. Marianne Bertrand & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2003. "Enjoying the Quiet Life? Corporate Governance and Managerial Preferences," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(5), pages 1043-1075, October.
    29. Martin Conyon & Annita Florou, 2002. "Top executive dismissal, ownership and corporate performance," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(4), pages 209-225.
    30. Morck, Randall & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 1988. "Management ownership and market valuation," Scholarly Articles 29407535, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    31. Raheja, Charu G., 2005. "Determinants of Board Size and Composition: A Theory of Corporate Boards," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 40(2), pages 283-306, June.
    32. Fama, Eugene F & Jensen, Michael C, 1983. "Separation of Ownership and Control," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 26(2), pages 301-325, June.
    33. Morck, Randall & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 1988. "Management ownership and market valuation : An empirical analysis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 293-315, January.
    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. Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan, 2021. "The effect of board composition and managerial pay on Saudi firm performance," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 693-758, August.
    2. Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2017. "The relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and the performance of Saudi listed firms," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(2-2), pages 338-349.
    3. Naeem Tabassum & Satwinder Singh, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Organisational Performance," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-3-030-48527-6, October.
    4. Andreou, Panayiotis C. & Louca, Christodoulos & Panayides, Photis M., 2014. "Corporate governance, financial management decisions and firm performance: Evidence from the maritime industry," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 59-78.
    5. Franco Ernesto Rubino & Paolo Tenuta & Domenico Rocco Cambrea, 2017. "Board characteristics effects on performance in family and non-family business: a multi-theoretical approach," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(3), pages 623-658, September.
    6. McKnight, Phillip J. & Weir, Charlie, 2009. "Agency costs, corporate governance mechanisms and ownership structure in large UK publicly quoted companies: A panel data analysis," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 139-158, May.
    7. 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.
    8. James, Hui Liang & Borah, Nilakshi & Lirely, Roger, 2022. "The effectiveness of board independence in high-discretion firms," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 103-117.
    9. Akbar, Muhammad & Hussain, Shahzad & Ahmad, Tanveer & Hassan, Shoib, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Firm Performance in Pakistan: Dynamic Panel Estimation," CAFE Working Papers 6, Centre for Accountancy, Finance and Economics (CAFE), Birmingham City Business School, Birmingham City University.
    10. Ivan Brick & N. Chidambaran, 2008. "Board monitoring, firm risk, and external regulation," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 87-116, February.
    11. Amitava Roy, 2014. "Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: An Exploratory Analysis of Indian Listed Companies," Jindal Journal of Business Research, , vol. 3(1-2), pages 93-120, June.
    12. Ahmed Bouteska & Mehdi Mili, 2022. "Does corporate governance affect financial analysts’ stock recommendations, target prices accuracy and earnings forecast characteristics? An empirical investigation of US companies," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(4), pages 2125-2171, October.
    13. Lukas Setia‐Atmaja & George A. Tanewski & Michael Skully, 2009. "The Role of Dividends, Debt and Board Structure in the Governance of Family Controlled Firms," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(7‐8), pages 863-898, September.
    14. Hussein Abedi Shamsabadi & Byung-Seong Min & Richard Chung, 2016. "Corporate governance and dividend strategy: lessons from Australia," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 12(5), pages 583-610, October.
    15. Neupane, Biwesh & Thapa, Chandra & Marshall, Andrew & Neupane, Suman & Shrestha, Chaman, 2024. "Do foreign institutional investors improve board monitoring?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    16. Afzalur Rashid, 2015. "Revisiting Agency Theory: Evidence of Board Independence and Agency Cost from Bangladesh," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 130(1), pages 181-198, August.
    17. Panayiotis C. Andreou & Constantinos Antoniou & Joanne Horton & Christodoulos Louca, 2016. "Corporate Governance and Firm†specific Stock Price Crashes," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 22(5), pages 916-956, November.
    18. Liu, Chunyan & Uchida, Konari & Yang, Yufeng, 2012. "Corporate governance and firm value during the global financial crisis: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 70-80.
    19. Georgeta Vintila & Stefan Cristian Gherghina, 2013. "Board of Directors Independence and Firm Value: Empirical Evidence Based on the Bucharest Stock Exchange Listed Companies," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 3(4), pages 885-900.
    20. Lukas Setia‐Atmaja & George A. Tanewski & Michael Skully, 2009. "The Role of Dividends, Debt and Board Structure in the Governance of Family Controlled Firms," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(7‐8), pages 863-898, September.

    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:gam:jecomi:v:11:y:2023:i:1:p:21-:d:1031097. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.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.