Prof. Toru Yoshikawa (Singapore Management University)

Programm

• Datum: 15.12.2010
  Zeit: 16:00 - 17:30
  Ort: Ludwigstraße 28, Rückgebäude, Raum 024

Board reforms in the Japanese electronics industry: A behavioral theory perspective

This paper examines corporate governance reforms in the Japanese electronics industry through lens of behavioral theory of the firm. We examine two specific reforms: the corporate executive officer system and board with committees system. We argue that while board reforms in Japan diffused through mimetic processes consistent with neo-institutional theory, firms used these reforms to solve some firm-specific problems, consistent with behavioral theory of the firm. While institutional processes made board reforms salient and legitimate, firms adopted and shaped these reforms to fit their own circumstances, which were not necessarily related to corporate governance. National corporate governance systems have an important influence on a firm's strategy and performance, and thus understanding how governance systems are changing is key to understanding how firms can compete in a global economy.