Translating Innovation into Performance: Understanding Role of the Board

Shital Jhunjhunwala, Shweta Sharda and J. P. Sharma

Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 9-26

Abstract: Innovation enables firms to face increasing competition in the global environment, but there is variation in innovation investments across firms due to the inherent uncertainty involved in innovative activities. The strategic role of board, therefore, becomes crucial in overseeing innovation decisions. This study, hence, examines whether the relation between R&D investment and firm’s performance would vary based on the board characteristics of the company. It empirically explores this interrelationship in publicly listed Indian companies, by assessing the moderation effect of board using fixed effect regression analysis and conditional effects on a panel data of 9,031 firm years across twelve years. Board size, board meetings, proportion of women director and board leadership are found to negatively moderate the relationship between innovation and financial performance (ROE), however none of them moderates the relation between innovation and firm value (Tobin’s Q). It signifies that though board characteristics play an important role in relationship between innovation and ROE, investors fail to recognise it. Companies should focus on creating the right kind of board, investors must appreciate board’s influence in the success of R&D investments without being driven by mere compliance. Policy makers should deliberate upon the desirability of present structure of stringent laws.

Keywords: Corporate governance; board; innovation; R&D; strategy; India (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:ijcgvn:v:14:y:2021:i:1:p:9-26

DOI: 10.1177/09746862211007032

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