Where Experts Get it Wrong: Independence vs. Leadership in Corporate Governance

5 Pages Posted: 14 Mar 2013 Last revised: 3 Sep 2013

See all articles by David F. Larcker

David F. Larcker

Stanford Graduate School of Business; Stanford University - Hoover Institution; European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Brian Tayan

Stanford University - Graduate School of Business

Date Written: March 14, 2013

Abstract

Over the last few decades, researchers have taken a thorough and critical look at corporate governance from various perspectives. For the most part, they have found that structural features of corporate governance have little or no relation to governance quality.

For example, there is no evidence that having an independent chairman benefits companies. At the same time, there is evidence that CEOs with different personalities require different levels of oversight.

We examine this issue in greater detail. We ask: Why isn’t more attention paid to contextual considerations in corporate governance? Why don’t governance experts base their recommendations on research rather than subjective opinion? How can corporate stakeholders take into account the quality of a company’s leadership to design more effective governance systems?

Topics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership: The Closer Look series is a collection of short case studies through which we explore topics, issues, and controversies in corporate governance. In each study, we take a targeted look at a specific issue that is relevant to the current debate on governance and explain why it is so important. Larcker and Tayan are co-authors of the book Corporate Governance Matters, and A Real Look at Real World Corporate Governance.

Keywords: corporate governance, CEO and executive leadership, CEO personality, CEO-Chairman duality

JEL Classification: G30, M00, M10

Suggested Citation

Larcker, David F. and Tayan, Brian, Where Experts Get it Wrong: Independence vs. Leadership in Corporate Governance (March 14, 2013). Rock Center for Corporate Governance at Stanford University Closer Look Series: Topics, Issues and Controversies in Corporate Governance and Leadership No. CGRP- 32, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2233570

David F. Larcker (Contact Author)

Stanford Graduate School of Business ( email )

Graduate School of Business
518 Memorial Way
Stanford, CA 94305-5015
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650-725-6159 (Phone)

Stanford University - Hoover Institution ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305
United States

European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI) ( email )

c/o the Royal Academies of Belgium
Rue Ducale 1 Hertogsstraat
1000 Brussels
Belgium

Brian Tayan

Stanford University - Graduate School of Business ( email )

655 Knight Way
Stanford, CA 94305-5015
United States

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