Board characteristics and firm performance in Spain

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between internal governance structure and financial performance of listed Spanish companies. The effectiveness of the board of directors is analyzed through the use of different variables: size, composition, duality, number of annual meetings and busyness of the directors. The financial performance is measured by return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and Tobin’s Q.

Design/methodology/approach

Our study is addressed through the use of a multi-theoretical approach followed by an empirical analysis. Schematic literature review serves as a basis for setting our hypotheses. We conduct the empirical part of the study by applying these to the listed companies in the Madrid Stock Exchange. An econometric model (multiple regression) is used to test the relation between board structure and financial performance.

Findings

Empirical: We conclude that in the three estimated models, two of the dependent variables, ROE and ROA, have an explanatory value. The relationship between the number of the boards of directors’ meetings and performance has proved to be negative. Theoretical: Ample literature on corporate governance leads to two conclusions: First, corporative–financial relations must be studied by a multi-theoretical approach. Second, future research must be made only on specific studies coincident with the majority of their characteristics (country, type of firm, type of statistical model […]).

Research limitations/implications

Future research will try to cover gaps, expanding this study in both space and time.

Practical implications

The number of Spanish companies’ boards meetings is very high. As shown in our study, holding more than one meeting a month does not guarantee greater financial returns; the board can effectively establish its strategic lines of business by meeting up to 12 times per year.

Social implications

The results show a negative relationship between ROE and the number of meetings, which may be linked to the country’s business culture, which traditionally has a higher number of annual meetings when compared to neighboring countries. Perhaps, this is an indicative symptom of the inefficiency associated with the Spanish system.

Originality/value

Theoretical review is performed with two aims: first, to establish our research hypotheses, and second, to reflect on future research by fine-tuning the abundant previous studies.

Citation

Rodriguez-Fernandez, M., Fernandez-Alonso, S. and Rodriguez-Rodriguez, J. (2014), "Board characteristics and firm performance in Spain", Corporate Governance, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 485-503. https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-01-2013-0013