• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.175-189
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• 2023

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between CEO name uncommonness and R&D intensity while focusing on CEO ownership and CEO tenure as moderators of the relationship. Design/methodology/approach - This study collected data from various American databases such as national data on given names from Social Security Administration, COMPUSTAT, and Execucomp. The sample of this study includes 2,494 (firm-year) observations from U.S. firms between 2005-2011. This study conducts Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) regression analysis to test the hypotheses. Findings - First, we found CEO name uncommonness was positively related to R&D intensity. In other words, CEOs with unusual names prefer being distinctive by increasing R&D investments. Second, we examine the moderating roles of CEO characteristics (i.e., CEO ownership and tenure). The results show that CEO tenure strengthens the positive relationship between CEO name uncommonness and R&D intensity. Research implications or Originality - First, this study extends the CEO characteristics and R&D literature by investigating how CEO name uncommonness affects R&D intensity. In addition, our study also supports the intitutionalization of CEO power arguments by showing that CEOs with unusual names are more likely to pursue distinctive strategies when they have longer tenure. For practical implications, our results allow the investors to better predict corporate future R&D expenses. It suggests that ceteris paribus, CEOs with unusual names, vis-a-vis CEOs with common names, are more likely to increase R&D expenses.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 2003

In this study, we report the summary characteristics of CEOs of SI firms in Korea. In the first part of our paper, age, educational background, and career of CEOs in SI firms are analyzed according to CEO types (owners versus professional managers). In the second part, CEO tenures of Si firms in Korea are compared with those in the U.S. and Japan. We found that CEO tenures of SI firms in Korea are remarkably shorter than those in the U.S. and Japan. In conclusion, we contend that CEO systems in Korean firms should be improved to guarantee the longer tenures especially for professional managers.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.87-105
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• 2021

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to explores how CEO general human capital, one of the most critical issues in recent research, affects compensation schemes. Design/methodology/approach - This study collected the CEOs of S&P500 companies from 2001 to 2009 and contains 4,155 CEO-firm-year observations and 704 different CEOs. Findings - First, only contingent bonus is affected by general human capital and reputation. Second, the career concerns of CEOs are relevant, especially when explaining CEO tenure. Third, we offer an alternative view of what determines the level of cash compensation schemes and the factors that affect the running of a firm. Fourth, we also suggest that the increase in general human capital can be explained by the increase in its relative importance in managing a modern firm. Overall, the results of this study do not only contribute to academics but also important to boards and shareholders. Research implications or Originality - This study intends to fill the gap in the extant literature by examining the relationship between general human capital and compensation schemes.First, we add to the compensation literature by arguing that a cash compensation scheme is efficient for generalist CEOs. We break down CEO cash compensation schemes into fixed and contingent bonus compensation and investigate whether general human capital differentially affects CEO cash compensation schemes, and thus, the sensitivity to unequal pay for human capital. Second, we contribute to the reputation literature by arguing that CEO perceived reputation also affects CEO compensation schemes.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.11
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• pp.291-301
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• 2020

This paper aims to investigate the impact of chief executive officer's (CEO) attributes on firms' performance. Specifically, it examines the influence of CEOs' education, professional experience, and tenure on Saudi firms' performance. We look at a sample of 120 listed firms on Tadawul stock exchange from 2014 to 2017. Data on financial and accounting variables are obtained from the annual reports of the selected companies. We follow the existing empirical literature and use a panel model and formulate three different equations using the GMM estimator. Findings prove that CEO educational background does matter. In particular, companies employing CEOs with business administration, economics, finance, or accounting degree will perform outstandingly better. Similarly, stock performance gets improved when the CEO has a postgraduate qualification, i.e., when the CEO holds an MBA, a master, or a PhD degree. Besides, results reveal that executives who have an experience in a related field will positively affect the firm's performance. Finally, evidence shows that high CEOs tenure improves corporate performance. Overall, these findings demonstrate that executives' attributes are key factors that would explain differences in Saudi firms' performance. These results would help shareholders to make the right decision in selecting CEOs to manage the company.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.243-253
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• 2021

This study aims to examine (1) the association between the chief executive officer tenure and audit quality, (2) the relationship between chief executive officer duality and audit quality, (3) the association between board independence and audit quality, (4) the relationship between board size and audit quality, and (5) the role of controlling variables (client size, leverage debt, and business complexity) in controlling these relationships. The research sample includes 325 financial reports from manufacturing firms listed in Amman Stock exchange over the 2014-2018 period. The study relationships are tested by using logistic regression. The results revealed a negative relationship, but not significant between CEO tenure and independent directors with audit quality. In addition, the results showed there is a negative effect of CEO duality on audit quality; also the results revealed that there is a statistically significant effect on the board of directors (board size) on the AQ. In general, the coefficient estimates of controlling variables show that client size and leverage debt positively affect audit quality, and on the contrary, business complexity has an insignificant positive relationship with audit quality. The summary of the study findings play an active role to external auditor opinion on business practice in towered the corporate governance system.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.12
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• pp.159-167
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• 2021

The objective of this study is to examine the effect of family ownership and family CEO on the dividend policy of family firms by using the demographic characteristics of the CEO as a moderator. Dividend policy is a decision taken by the firm in determining whether the profits earned by the firm will be distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends or will be reinvested in the company as retained earnings for future internal resources. Using samples from non-financial family firms listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange in 2013-2017, 93 firms were selected based on adequate data. We also used logit regressions to provide robustness. The results show that family ownership and family CEO have a positive effect on the dividend payout ratio. This finding supports the family income hypothesis. Among CEO demographic characters, CEO age significantly strengthens the positive effect of family CEO on dividend payout ratio. While CEO tenure does not significantly strengthen the positive effect of family CEOs on dividend payout ratios. Meanwhile, leverage, ROA, and firm size significantly affect the dividend payout ratio, but firm age does not significantly affect the dividend payout ratio.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.54-72
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• 2020

Purpose - This study explores the contextual factors that affect the relationship between CEO overseas experience and firm internationalization. This study incorporates a wide range of contextual factors, including mega, macro, and micro variables. In particular, this study goes a step further from prior studies by incorporating a higher-order variable i.e., the global financial crisis that can constrain the managerial discretion of a CEO. Design/methodology - To structure the balanced data set before and after the 2008 global financial crisis, we used the data for the years from 2002 to 2014 from a sample of Korean manufacturing firms. Ultimately, 1101 firm-year unbalanced panel observations from 101 firms were used for the analysis. Findings - Our main findings can be summarized as follows. CEO overseas experience is positively related to firm internationalization. However, this relationship varies depending on the CEOs level of managerial discretion. As for the constraining moderation, the global financial crisis weakened the positive relationship between CEO overseas experience and firm internationalization. As for the enabling moderation, the CEOs tenure strengthened the relationship. Originality/value - This study adopted the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) framework to explain the relationship between CEO overseas experience and firm internationalization. Moreover, we argue that the CEO-internationalization relationship depends on the specific context of the managerial discretion, focusing on the 2008 global financial crisis. Empirically, this study adopted the 2SLS procedure to correct endogeneity. Instead of taking the actual value of prior internationalization as a control, we estimated prior internationalization using the instrument variables at an industry level. This procedure made our estimation more robust.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.184-202
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• 2021

Purpose - This study empirically investigates the relationship between expatriate CEOs of multinational corporation (MNC) foreign subsidiaries and local philanthropy. Since corporate social responsibility (CSR) enables MNCs to achieve local legitimacy, this research argues that local philanthropy is a valuable strategic means for expatriate CEOs of foreign subsidiaries to secure local legitimacy. Design/methodology - To investigate our argument, we use a sample of 5,459 observations from 576 foreign subsidiaries of MNCs in Korea between 2002 and 2016. We conduct a random-effects panel Tobit regression with subsidiary CEO having foreign nationality as the independent variable and local philanthropy as the dependent variable. Findings - Our main findings are that expatriate CEOs of foreign subsidiaries are more actively engaged in local philanthropy. In addition, the positive relationship between expatriate CEOs and local philanthropy is weaker as their tenure increases. Originality/value - How expatriate CEOs overcome their weak local legitimacy as foreigners in a host country has remained unclear because existing studies mainly focused on the control and coordination aspects of staffing expatriates in CEO positions of foreign subsidiaries. This study broadens the literature on subsidiary CEO staffing and CSR activities of MNCs by identifying complementary relationships between expatriate CEOs and corporate philanthropy in the host country.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.95-131
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• 2012

This study examines whether the executive turnover and the executive resignation during the term of office affect the performance of Korean state-owned enterprises. The executive turnover in the paper means the comprehensive change of the executives which includes the change after the term of office, the change after consecutive terms and the change during the term of office. The 'resignation' was named for the executive change during the term of office to distinguish from the executive turnover. The study scope of the paper is restrained to the comprehensive executive change itself irrespective of the term of office and the resignation during the term of office. Therefore the natural change of the executive after the term of office or the change after consecutive terms is not included in the study. Spontaneous resignation and forced resignation are not distinguished in the paper as the distinction between the two is not easy. The paper uses both the margin of return on asset and the margin of return on asset adjusted by industry as proxies of the performance of state-owned enterprises. The business nature of state-owned enterprise is considered in the study, the public nature not in it. The paper uses the five year (2004 to 2008) samples of 24 firms designated as public enterprises by Korean government. The analysis results are as follows. First, 45.1% of CEOs were changed a year during the sample period on the average. The average tenure period of CEOs was 2 years and 3 months and 49.9% among the changed CEOs resigned during the term of office. 41.6% of internal auditors were changed a year on the average. The average tenure period of internal auditors was 2 years and 2 months and 51.0% among the changed internal auditors resigned during the term of office. In case of outside directors, on average, 38.2% were changed a year. The average tenure period was 2 years and 7 months and 25.4% among the changed internal directors resigned during the term of office. These statistics show that numerous CEOs resigned before the finish of the three year term in office. Also, considering the tenure of an internal auditor and an outside director which diminished from 3 years to 2 years by an Act on the Management of Public Institutions (applied to the executives appointed since April 2007), it seems most internal auditors resigned during the term of office but most outside directors resigned after the end of the term. Secondly, There was no evidence that the executives were changed during the term of office because of the bad performance of prior year. On the other hand, contrary to the normal expectation, the performance of prior year of the state-owned enterprise where an outside director resigned during the term of office was significantly higher than that of other state-owned enterprises. It means that the clauses in related laws on the executive dismissal on grounds of bad performance did not work normally. Instead it can be said that the executive change was made by non-economic reasons such as a political motivation. Thirdly, the results from a fixed effect model show there were evidences that performance turned negatively when CEOs or outside directors resigned during the term of office. CEO's resignation during the term of office gave a significantly negative effect on the margin of return on asset. Outside director's resignation during the term of office lowered significantly the margin of return on asset adjusted by industry. These results suggest that the executive's change in Korean state-owned enterprises was not made by objective or economic standards such as management performance assessment and the negative effect on performance of the enterprises was had by the unfaithful obeyance of the legal executive term.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.87-99
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• 2020

The study aims to investigate factors that determine dividend payout policy using 336 non-financial firm year observations covering the period 2005 to 2016 in Malaysia. We found a significant positive relationship between corporate board size, board members average age, board tenure and dividend payout policy. We also found a strong negative effect and statistically insignificant relationship of board diversity, board independence, CEO duality and dividend payout policy. Additional, financial leverage has a negative effect on dividend payout policy. It is also noticed that firms with diverse boards are more likely to pay dividends and tend to pay larger dividends than those with non-diverse boards. Our results suggest that board diversity has a significant impact on dividend payout policy. Impact of board diversity on dividend payout policy is particularly conspicuous for firms with potentially greater agency problems. Our findings are consistent with the argument that corporate board traits enhancement positively affect the dividend payout policy which is beneficial for shareholders. This study offers useful insights into the current global debate on board traits and its implications for firms. The dividend payout policy signals good news to investors. Corporate board traits and firm's financial decision are the factors that disrupt the dividend decision.