Theoretically and empirically, the linkage between outside directors and firm performance is not conclusive in previous studies. We suspect that the mixed results are due to the failure to meet the requirements of the independence of outside directors. As the Taiwanese government has a rigorous definition of outside director independence, we employ a data set from Taiwan to test the impact of independent outside director assignment on a firm's performance. Our findings suggest that after controlling for a firm's past performance, independent outside director appointments do have a significantly positive impact on a firm's performance, and outperforming firms may have better performance but not significantly when assigning outside directors due to their absorptive capacity. Copyright (c) 2007 The Authors; Journal compilation (c) 2007 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Despite the fact that a great deal of empirical research confirms the existence of strategic groups, not enough attention has been paid to their theoretical development. This paper links the theories of spatial competition and cognitive taxonomy to the very existence of strategic groups in a competitive environment. It is shown that the concept of strategic groups is not an analytical convenience but a theoretical construct.
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