Performance feedback and firms search behaviors: Role of corporate governance in companies around the world

Research on firm’s motivation to undertake search behaviors in situations of positive and negative performance feedback is limited in empirical literature. In addition, the role of institutionalized corporate governance mechanisms in mediating firm’s aspiration-driven search behaviors is yet to be explored. Therefore, this study aims at examining whether firms around the world facing positive and negative performance feedback undertake different search behaviors. Furthermore, we test whether firm’s corporate governance mechanisms strengthen such search behaviors. This study reports that negative performance feedback positively influences firm problem-driven search behaviors, whereas positive performance feedback positively impacts its innovative search behaviors. Furthermore, we find a significant negative moderating influence of board strength, while a mixed positive influence of board effectiveness on firm performance feedback to carry out distinctive search behaviors. Therefore, we think that these findings would help the regulators and policy makers to strengthen their existing corporate governance mechanisms and regulations. JEL CLASSIFICATION: G30, G32, G34