Board Dynamics and Corporate Performance: Review of Literature, and Empirical Challenges

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to conduct a comprehensive survey of relevant literatures in respect of the relationship between board dynamics and firm performance. The investigation reveals that equivocal findings still dominates most of the previous studies on key board dynamics such as Size, composition, CEO Duality and Diversity amongst others. While the need to assess the connection between board characteristics and corporate performance would for a longtime remained a legitimate and interesting area of investigation, the paper recommend that the researchers avoid mistakes of the past. These include over reliance on singular theory, the use of lone performance measure and most importantly the assumption of express relationship between the two variables. The use of more purposeful process based approach that identifies the cause effect of the relationship would be of tremendous benefit to this vital field of study.