The relationship between corporate governance and firm performance revisited: Where do we stand?

Abstract

How is corporate governance measured, and what is the relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and corporate performance? This paper aims to shed light on these questions by providing an overview of the most important research findings in this area with a focus on the USA and Germany. My analysis gives rise to the following remarks. First, studies examining the impact of singles governance mechanisms are inconclusive and mixed in their findings, and especially the question of causality is still unanswered. Second, when a holistic approach is used, the proposition that good corporate governance enhances long-term performance is supported. However, corporate governance practices alone cannot assure long-term corporate performance and good standards of corporate governance are no substitute for the solidity of business models.