ABSTRACT
The study examines the moderating effect of CEO tenure and managerial experience on firm specific determinants of corporate cash holdings among private manufacturing firms in Kenya. The research employed the upper echelons theory to identify CEO characteristics that are linked to various organizational processes and outcomes such as cash holding. This survey-based study selected a sample of 156 private manufacturing firms from the firms registered with the KAM that are located in Nairobi and surrounding area using stratified random sampling technique. The research collected primary data using self- administered questionnaires to gather self-reported financial measures from the CFOs. The study employed stepwise multiple regression analysis to determine the moderating effect of CEO tenure and managerial experience on independent and dependent variables. The study concludes that the CEO tenure significantly moderates firm size, growth opportunities, and likelihood of financial distress as determinants of corporate cash holdings. Further, the study concludes that CEO managerial experience in other industries significantly moderates firm size and cash flow volatility determinants of corporate cash holdings among private manufacturing firms in Kenya.
Keywords: Cash holdings, CEO tenure, CEO managerial experience, Upper echelons theory
1. Introduction
The decision of firms to hold substantial cash reserves has lately been put under the spotlight in the corporate finance
Further, keeping in view the strong competitive environment and fear of “Clones” by others, Intel is constantly required to look for innovative products, which would need more funds for upfront expenditures. In these situations, large cash positions would help Intel to avoid taking loans from outside, and in turn interest costs, by using its own cash balances. A disadvantage of having large cash position would be that cash has an opportunity cost. In other words, Intel could be forgoing profitable investment opportunities. However looking at the data provided in the case, we can see that the cost of holding cash was small as they yield high returns, above 170 bases points above U.S treasury bills, through investing in securities rated above AA. Further, a cash rich company runs the risk of being careless as there may be reduced pressure on the management team to perform better. Observing Intel’s growing performance over a period of time, it seems that currently it has no such problem. However in future, it may become a cause of concern for the company.
As a Naval Officer I had the opportunity to experience both leadership and management. Today's Navy operates with fewer people and resources than before. Therefore, leadership and management are more important than ever. Very early in my career I was taught leadership and as I advanced through the ranks I experienced management.
11. Investors and creditors are particularly interested in this financial statement because it tells them what is happening to the company’s most important resource?
1. Their uses of cash were primarily used for paying off debt and investing it in marketable securities. Also they spent some of their cash on fixed assets. Even though their ending cash was lower than the previous year, they were using their cash effectively.
As a result, holding cash would be essential component of the firm strategy. To develop new products, buy new equipment or expand geographically, firm has to spend money on marketing research, product design, prototype development and so on. Moreover, if a recession hits and the economy start to slow down,
It was reasonable for a CEO’s compensation to increase as the company expanded and became a larger entity, and the newly-granted shares and increasing stock options further aligned the CEO’s personal interests with those of the company and shareholders. In this sense, the second compensation package was also well-structured and not excessive. Seeing Sunbeam’s revenue rising and stock price climbing steeply upwards, Sunbeam’s shareholders and directors were fully convinced by Dunlap’s leadership, so they might perceive the increase in compensation amount necessary to retain and better motivate Dunlap to enhance the company’s value. Nonetheless, they neglected the fact that the increased portion of the equity-based compensation also further motivated the CEO’s dangerous behaviors pertaining to improper earnings management.
managers may not directly set the cost of capital, they play a large role in determining the capital structure
A recent study by Xue Wang (Emory University) tackles how SOX has affected the compensation and turnover rates of CFOs. They play a critical role in developing firms’ financial reporting and making voluntary disclosure decisions. Moreover, CFOs are ultimately responsible for the quality of internal control systems. The study provides some important insights about the impact of SOX on the executive labor market. It shows that requiring more disclosure of information about a firm’s internal controls provides some positive benefits with respect to corporate governance, in this case making it easier for boards to monitor the activities of CFOs. In comparing and contrasting firms with strong internal controls received an increase in salary, bonus, and total compensation in the post-SOX time periods. In contrast, CFOs of corporations reporting a problem with their internal controls incurred a significant reduction in their compensation packages. With respect to CFO turnover, Wang did find that CFO turnover rates generally increased form the pre- to post-SOX period.
The liquidity position of a company can be evaluated using several ratios which evaluate short-term assets and liabilities and a firm’s ability to settle short-term debts (Gibson, 2011). These ratios can provide insight into a firm’s ability to repay its debts in the short term (Gibson, 2011). In turn they suggest a firm’s capacity for debt-satisfying capabilities into the future (Gibson, 2011). This paper will use financial statement data as cited in Gibson (2011) from 3M Company (3M) to better understand liquidity measures to evaluate a firm’s total liquidity position. The following paper will focus on various liquidity calculations, their meaning, and their interpretation relative to 3M. Finally, an overall view of 3M’s liquidity
The financial statements included tend to combine cash and marketable securities into a category labeled “cash and cash equivalents”. If the cash ratio is recalculated using this value instead of simply cash than the ratio improves to 1.10, which shows much stronger liquidity capabilities.
But I'm coming to believe that all of us are ghosts .... It's not just what we inherit from our mothers or fathers. It's also the shadows of dead ideas and opinions and convictions. They're no longer alive, but they grip us all the same, and hold on to us against our will.
Selecting the correct methodology for recruiting your next chief executive officer is undoubtedly one of the most difficult decisions that a board of directors will ever have to make. Horse races, promotion contests, and the extensive use of executive search firms have proven to be the most common forms of selecting company’s top executives. The fight to hold to the title of CEO between internal and external candidates is cut-throat and in most cases, a popularity contest based on reputation alone. Selecting the proper method of recruitment helps companies to eliminate these battles and pick the top candidate based on their qualifications such as their credentials, experience,
The relationship between capital structure and firm value has been discussed frequently in the literature by different researcher accordingly, in both theoretical and empirical studies. It has also been discussed that whether the firm has any optimal capital structure that has been adopted by an individual firm, or whether the proportions of debt usage is completely irrelevant to the individual firm value.
The management of cash is essential to the survival of any organization. Managing an organization’s financial operation requires knowledge of the economy and ways to maximize revenue. For any organization to operate on a daily basis adequate cash flow is required. Without cash management the organization will be unable to function because there is no cash readily available in case of inconsistencies in the market. Cash is also needed to keep the cycle of the company’s operations going.
BBC’s working capital policy was too conservative. This is apparent in their high level of net working capital with more than 4.2 million in 2010-2011 fiscal year. Although, the net working capital was in the positive figures, their assets were 10 time more than their liabilities. When further reviewing this figure it is because they have a large amount of inventory and accounts receivable. Their liquid assets to total assets ration was between 62% and 66%. Where industry bench marks are 30%.