Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
publishedVersion
Publication Date
2-2019
Abstract
This article examines the impact of a one-size-fits-all corporate governance code on smaller listed firms, which should have fewer resources to hire more qualified independent directors for their boards and board committees. After examining data from a sample of companies listed in Hong Kong and Singapore, we find some limited support for these resources-based arguments. While smaller firms do not necessarily have a lower proportion of board members who are independent directors, some evidence suggests that smaller firms do pay less to independent directors and that these directors have to serve on multiple board committees. Although many larger firms also share the problem of overloading their independent directors, the ability to find and attract good candidates certainly differs with the availability of resources. Therefore, this article suggests that policymakers rethink the merit of raising board independence standards and increasing board committee requirements, and find ways to assist smaller firms to hire good (and less expensive) independent directors.
Keywords
corporate governance, Singapore, Hong Kong, small companies
Discipline
Asian Studies | Business Organizations Law | Corporate Finance
Research Areas
Asian and Comparative Legal Systems
Publication
Berkeley Business Law Journal
Volume
15
Issue
2
First Page
337
Last Page
364
ISSN
1548-7067
Publisher
University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Citation
CHEN, Christopher C. H..
A one-size-fits-all approach to corporate governance codes and compliance by smaller listed firms: An examination of companies listed in Hong Kong and Singapore. (2019). Berkeley Business Law Journal. 15, (2), 337-364.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/2895
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://lawcat.berkeley.edu/record/1128870