Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India

Purpose – This study aims to examine the influence of Audit Committee (AC) composition on Firm Performance (FP) by measuring AC composition (ACC) with a composite score based on the varying effect of each composition-characteristic. Design/methodology/approach – Partial Least Squares- Structural Equ...

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Main Authors: Abhisheck Kumar Singhania, Nagari Mohan Panda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Emerald Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:AJAR (Asian Journal of Accounting Research)
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AJAR-10-2023-0333/full/pdf
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author Abhisheck Kumar Singhania
Nagari Mohan Panda
author_facet Abhisheck Kumar Singhania
Nagari Mohan Panda
author_sort Abhisheck Kumar Singhania
collection DOAJ
description Purpose – This study aims to examine the influence of Audit Committee (AC) composition on Firm Performance (FP) by measuring AC composition (ACC) with a composite score based on the varying effect of each composition-characteristic. Design/methodology/approach – Partial Least Squares- Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique is used to weigh ACC characteristics. Based on 133 companies and covering five years from 2016 to 2020, the study analyses data after controlling endogeneity through the Gaussian Copula approach. Findings – We find a significant positive influence of ACC on Firm Performance. Among the ACC characteristics, the absence of executive directors has the highest positive weight on ACC to influence FP, followed by AC size and Gender diversity. AC independence and members' accounting and financial expertise have no significant weight on its composition. Practical implications – Apart from the theoretical contribution, the study reveals that each ACC characteristic has a varying effect on AC effectiveness to influence the FP that needs to be considered by regulators while framing regulations on ACC and by BOD while constituting AC for a company. Originality/value – The study claims originality by being pioneering to reveal that AC composition, with a synergy of its disparate characteristics, positively impacts FP. It highlights that the absence of executive directors and gender diversity in AC (characteristics overlooked by the extant literature) significantly and positively influence FP. Methodologically, it introduces the use of the PLS-SEM algorithm to weigh the characteristics in governance studies. Further, these findings remain relevant amid recent Indian legal reforms, offering contemporary insights for policy consideration.
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spelling doaj-art-dde000fc5b5d4e6da4dcbf819e9fd65e2024-12-24T07:11:35ZengEmerald PublishingAJAR (Asian Journal of Accounting Research)2459-97002443-41752025-01-0110121810.1108/AJAR-10-2023-0333Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of IndiaAbhisheck Kumar Singhania0Nagari Mohan Panda1Department of Commerce, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, IndiaDepartment of Commerce, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, IndiaPurpose – This study aims to examine the influence of Audit Committee (AC) composition on Firm Performance (FP) by measuring AC composition (ACC) with a composite score based on the varying effect of each composition-characteristic. Design/methodology/approach – Partial Least Squares- Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique is used to weigh ACC characteristics. Based on 133 companies and covering five years from 2016 to 2020, the study analyses data after controlling endogeneity through the Gaussian Copula approach. Findings – We find a significant positive influence of ACC on Firm Performance. Among the ACC characteristics, the absence of executive directors has the highest positive weight on ACC to influence FP, followed by AC size and Gender diversity. AC independence and members' accounting and financial expertise have no significant weight on its composition. Practical implications – Apart from the theoretical contribution, the study reveals that each ACC characteristic has a varying effect on AC effectiveness to influence the FP that needs to be considered by regulators while framing regulations on ACC and by BOD while constituting AC for a company. Originality/value – The study claims originality by being pioneering to reveal that AC composition, with a synergy of its disparate characteristics, positively impacts FP. It highlights that the absence of executive directors and gender diversity in AC (characteristics overlooked by the extant literature) significantly and positively influence FP. Methodologically, it introduces the use of the PLS-SEM algorithm to weigh the characteristics in governance studies. Further, these findings remain relevant amid recent Indian legal reforms, offering contemporary insights for policy consideration.https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AJAR-10-2023-0333/full/pdfAudit committeeGender diversityNon-executive directorsPLS-SEMSmartPLS4Gaussian copula
spellingShingle Abhisheck Kumar Singhania
Nagari Mohan Panda
Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India
AJAR (Asian Journal of Accounting Research)
Audit committee
Gender diversity
Non-executive directors
PLS-SEM
SmartPLS4
Gaussian copula
title Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India
title_full Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India
title_fullStr Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India
title_full_unstemmed Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India
title_short Does audit committee composition influence firm performance? Evidence from the top NSE-listed non-financial companies of India
title_sort does audit committee composition influence firm performance evidence from the top nse listed non financial companies of india
topic Audit committee
Gender diversity
Non-executive directors
PLS-SEM
SmartPLS4
Gaussian copula
url https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/AJAR-10-2023-0333/full/pdf
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