67. Alex Edmans - Lies in the boardroom: the stories, studies and statistics that mislead boards
Apr 30, 2024
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Alex Edmans, a finance professor, discusses the impact of diversity on corporate culture and performance, challenges in measuring diversity, debunking myths about CEO incentives, and biases in decision-making. He emphasizes the importance of overcoming biases for effective board decisions and advocates for blending individual experiences with research data for better board performance.
Diverse boards may not always lead to better corporate performance due to flawed studies and errors in research methodologies.
Creating an inclusive corporate culture and considering cognitive diversity is crucial for enhancing board effectiveness and future financial performance.
Deep dives
Non-Replicable Studies on Diversity and Firm Performance
Despite the widespread belief that diversity leads to better corporate culture and performance, studies by McKinsey, BlackRock, and the UK's Financial Reporting Council have fundamental errors. For instance, the Financial Reporting Council study, which claimed a strong link between gender diversity and firm performance, found none of their tests significant, questioning the validity of their conclusions. The impact of confirmation bias and incentives on producing biased results is discussed, highlighting the dangers of flawed studies becoming widely accepted.
Broader Measure of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Research on diversity, equity, and inclusion reveals a correlation with future financial performance, emphasizing the importance of considering cognitive diversity beyond demographic diversity. The significance of creating an inclusive corporate culture where individuals feel valued and can freely express dissenting views is underscored, indicating a more holistic approach to fostering diverse and effective boards.
Challenging the Link Between Corporate Governance and Performance
While studies like Grant Thornton's claim a strong connection between corporate governance and performance, concerns are raised about reverse causality and misleading methodologies. Discrepancies between studies and the importance of proper incentives in research are highlighted, emphasizing the need for rigorous evidence-based analysis in evaluating the impact of governance practices on company performance.
The Role of Incentives in CEO Performance
Contrary to popular belief that financial incentives don't work and intrinsic motivation is sufficient, research reveals that CEOs with high incentives outperform their counterparts significantly, indicating the importance of structuring pay to align with long-term company value. The misunderstanding and misrepresentation of incentive structures, coupled with biases, underscore the complexity of assessing the impact of incentive mechanisms on CEO performance.
Alex Edmans is Professor of Finance at London Business School, Member of the Sustainability Council of Novo Nordsik, and author of Many Contain Lies. In this conversation with Nurole CEO Oliver Cummings, Alex covers: Do diverse boards lead to better corporate culture and performance? (1:44) Where have diversity-performance studies gone wrong? (3:37) Does inclusion have an impact on performance? (6:05) Why don’t you think anyone has managed to prove the positive impact of diversity on company performance? (7:01) Does good corporate governance improve performance? (10:11) Do boards work? (12:01) Do financial incentives work? (13:36) Which truths do boards need to be more aware of? (15:43) What is the relevance of confirmation bias and binary thinking to decision-making? (17:37) Why did you focus on these two biases, over any others? (20:00) Can you talk through the “ladder of misinference”? (23:39) Have you ever been challenged that experience trumps evidence? (28:29) What role do you see for experience and intuition on boards? (29:55) What are the most important insights board members can take from May Contain Lies? (31:01) What have you learned about challenging in the boardroom? (34:22) What’s been your emotional experience of challenge? (37:22) And⚡The Lightning Round (39:02) ⚡
Host: Oliver Cummings Producer: Will Felton Music: Kate Mac Audio: Nick Kold Email: podcast@nurole.com Web: https://www.nurole.com/nurole-podcast-enter-the-boardroom
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