Board Characteristics, Compliance, and Firm Performance: Empirical Findings from Colombia

Abstract Using data from a single database of Colombian firms, we confirmed an endogenous relationship between specific board characteristics, compliance with corporate governance guidelines, and firm performance. A board comprising experts without conflicts of interest is more likely to control ethical behavior, implement audit committees, review compliance with accepted accounting standards, and approve and control the firm’s strategic planning, all of which will lead to an improvement in firm results, and engagement and retention of higher quality board members. Conclusions have strong implications for public policy and managerial practice.