Non–executive Directors on Boards in Ireland: co–option, characteristics and contributions

Eleanor O’Higgins

Corporate Governance: An International Review, 2002, vol. 10, issue 1, 19-28

Abstract: This paper reports research conducted to analyse the selection and characteristics of non–executive directors in Ireland. It links these themes to the three roles of the board (agency and control, strategic decision and policy support, resource acquirer). The study was carried out through in–depth interviews and repertory grids with 26 prominent non–executive directors and chairmen. The study confirms that non–executive directors are co–opted primarily through “the old boys network”. The repertory grid showed that, according to the study participants, the most important characteristics of effective non–executive directors were: (i) incisive thinking, the ability to size up a complex issue clearly, (ii) the ability to make a beneficial contribution to the company inside and outside the boardroom, and (iii) practical business experience. Interpersonal skills, international experience and lateral thinking were less prominent. The cognitive process structures of the repertory grids revealed remarkable homogeneity among the study participants in their way of thinking about the whole issue. The repertory grids showed a positive relationship between the participants’ ideas of what the “ideal” non–executive director is like, and themselves, indicating good self–esteem and satisfaction with themselves as non–executive directors.

Date: 2002
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8683.00264

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bla:corgov:v:10:y:2002:i:1:p:19-28

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.blackwell ... ref=0964-8410&site=1

Access Statistics for this article

Corporate Governance: An International Review is currently edited by William Judge

More articles in Corporate Governance: An International Review from Wiley Blackwell
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley Content Delivery ().