Corporate governance and financial performance of state-owned enterprises in Kenya
ISSN: 1472-0701
Article publication date: 12 November 2021
Issue publication date: 5 May 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report the results of an investigation into the effect of aggregate and individual corporate governance factors on the financial performance of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in Kenya.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses balanced panel data regression analysis on a sample of 45 SOEs in Kenya for a four-year period (2015–2018).
Findings
The panel data analysis results show that board meetings, board skill and gender diversity individual provisions of corporate governance are significantly and positively associated with capital budget realization ratio (CBRR). Moreover, the study finds that aggregate corporate governance disclosure index, board sub-committees, board size and independent non-executive directors are positive but insignificantly related to CBRR.
Research limitations/implications
The current study is based on secondary data, other methods of knowledge inquiry such as interviews and questionnaires may provide additional insights on the effectiveness of corporate governance on financial performance.
Practical implications
Overall, the results imply that corporate governance influences the performance of SOEs in Kenya. The results suggest that Mwongozo Code of Corporate Governance provisions should be changed to increase the number of women representations on board and the number of directors with doctoral qualifications because of their positive impact on the financial performance of SOEs in Kenya. Also, policymakers with remit over SOEs should re-evaluate why other corporate governance appear not to have an impact with a view of making the necessary changes.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the dearth of literature on the efficacy of corporate governance on the financial performance of SOEs in developing countries.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Editor Prof. Gabriel Eweje, Associate Editor Dr Gagan Deep Sharma, and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments and recommendations. The authors wish to thank Mr Ouma Peter Ochuodho of National Lands Commission, Nairobi, Kenya for his fruitful and helpful comments. Abang’a acknowledges the research funding provided by Strathmore University. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Citation
Abang’a, A.O., Tauringana, V., Wang’ombe, D. and Achiro, L.O. (2022), "Corporate governance and financial performance of state-owned enterprises in Kenya", Corporate Governance, Vol. 22 No. 4, pp. 798-820. https://doi.org/10.1108/CG-01-2021-0007
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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