Impact of governance on value creation in Moroccan SMES: An empirical analysis based on economic value added
-
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/imfi.23(2).2026.26
-
Article InfoVolume 23 2026, Issue #2, pp. 351-363
- 34 Views
-
3 Downloads
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Type of the article: Research Article
Abstract
This article focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises operating in environments characterized by increased financial and institutional constraints. The literature on this type of organization has mainly concentrated on traditional accounting performance indicators, such as return on assets or return on equity, while economic value creation that explicitly incorporates the cost of capital remains largely unexplored. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of corporate governance mechanisms on value creation within Moroccan SMEs. The study is based on a sample of 31 SMEs observed over the period 2015–2023, representing 279 observations. Value creation is measured using Economic Value Added, calculated from a cost of capital estimated using an accounting beta, adapted to unlisted companies. Estimates are made using a Feasible Generalized Least Squares model. The results show that board size has a positive and significant effect on value creation (β = 0.495; p = 0.010), as does the level of education of board members (β = 3.690; p < 0.001). On the other hand, family ownership is negatively associated with value creation (β = −1.934; p = 0.008). The age of a CEO, dual roles, and the frequency of board meetings do not have a statistically significant effect. These results highlight the decisive role of human capital in generating economic value within SMEs in emerging economies.
- Keywords
-
JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)G32, G34, M41
-
References41
-
Tables8
-
Figures0
-
- Table 1. Summary of variables in the research model
- Table 2. Descriptive statistics
- Table 3. Correlation matrix
- Table 4. Multicollinearity test (variance inflation factor)
- Table 5. Specification tests
- Table 6. Regression results
- Table 7. Diagnostic tests of the panel model (RE)
- Table 8. Cross-sectional time-series FGLS regression
-
- Abor, J., & Biekpe, N. (2007). Corporate governance, ownership structure and performance of SMEs in Ghana: Implications for financing opportunities. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, 7(3), 288 300.
- Afrifa, G. A., & Tauringana, V. (2015). Corporate governance and performance of UK listed small and medium enterprises. Corporate Governance, 15(5), 719 733.
- Almisher, M. A., & Kish, R. J. (2000). Accounting betas-An ex anti proxy for risk within the IPO market. Journal of Financial and Strategic Decisions, 13(3), 23 34.
- Ararat, M., Claessens, S., & Yurtoglu, B. B. (2021). Corporate governance in emerging markets : A selective review and an agenda for future research. Emerging Markets Review, 48, 100767.
- Arnegger, M., Hofmann, C., Pull, K., & Vetter, K. (2014). Firm size and board diversity. Journal of Management & Governance, 18(4), 1109 1135.
- Arosa, B., Iturralde, T., & Maseda, A. (2013). The board structure and firm performance in SMEs: Evidence from Spain. Investigaciones Europeas de Dirección y Economía de la Empresa, 19(3), 127 135.
- Berle, & Means, G. (1932). The modern corporation and private property. Routledge.
- Berry, M. A., & Rondinelli, D. A. (1998). Proactive corporate environmental management: A new industrial revolution. Academy of Management Perspectives, 12(2), 38 50.
- Charreaux, G. (1997). Le gouvernement des entreprises: théories et faits [Corporate governance: theories and facts]. (In French).
- Charreaux, G., & Wirtz, P. (2006). Gouvernance des entreprises: Nouvelles perspectives [Corporate Governance: New Perspectives]. Economica. (In French).
- Denzau, A. T., & North, D. C. (1994). Shared mental models: Ideologies and institutions. Elements of Reason: Cognition, Choice, and the Bounds of Rationality, 23 46.
- Donaldson, L., & Davis, J. H. (1991). Stewardship Theory or Agency Theory: CEO Governance and Shareholder Returns. Australian Journal of Management, 16(1), 49 64.
- Donaldson, L., Schoorman, F. D., & Davis, L. (1997). Toward a Stewardship Theory of Management. The Academy of Management Review, 22(1), 20.
- El Badri, L., Aasri, M. R., Houmair, M., & Faiteh, A. (2025a). Corporate social responsibility: Historical overview and conceptual framework. Journal of Environmental Management & Tourism, 16(1), 68-79.
- El Badri, L., Aasri, M. R., Houmair, M., & Faiteh, A. (2025b). Impact of corporate social responsibility on companie’s value creation: Evidence from listed Moroccan companies. Discover Sustainability, 6(1), Article 539.
- Faiteh, A., & Aasri, M. R. (2022a). Accounting beta as an indicator of risk measurement: The case of the Casablanca Stock Exchange. Risks, 10(8), Article 149.
- Faiteh, A., & Aasri, M. R. (2022b). Internal audit and added value: What is the relationship? Literature review. Universal Journal of Accounting and Finance, 10(3), 666-675.
- Faiteh, A., & Aasri, M. R. (2023). Economic value added: The best indicator for measuring value creation or just an illusion? Investment Management and Financial Innovations, 20(1), 138-150.
- Faiteh, A., Aasri, M. R., & El Badri, L. (2024a). L’audit interne une étape importante vers la résilience des organisations [Internal auditing: an important step towards organizational resilience]. International Journal of Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Management and Economics, 5(9), 285-300. (In French).
- Faiteh, A., Aasri, M. R., & Farabi, Z. (2024b). Contribution of internal audit and audit committee to value creation in unlisted companies. International Journal of Theoretical Physics.
- Faiteh, A., & Aasri, M. R. (2025a). Reinforcing business resilience: A dynamic exploration of internal audit’s influence through econometric panel data analysis. In E. AlDhaen, A. Braganza, A. Hamdan, & W. Chen (Eds), Business Sustainability with Artificial Intelligence (AI): Challenges and Opportunities (vol. 568, pp. 1009-1019). Springer Nature Switzerland.
- Faiteh, A., Aasri, M. R., Ez-zarzari, Z., Farabi, Z., Doukkali, Q., & El Badri, L. (2025b). The relationship between audit committee characteristics and corporate value creation: Evidence from Moroccan listed companies. Accounting and Financial Control, 6(1), 69-78.
- Faiteh, A., Aasri, M. R., Ouakil, H., Hosni, M., Ez-zarzari, Z., & Farabi, Z. (2026). The impact of corporate governance on financial performance in emerging markets: empirical evidence from Morocco. International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, 1-18.
- Freeman, R. E. (1984). Strategic management: A stakeholder approach. Cambridge University Press.
- Hair, J. F. (2018). Multivariate data analysis.
- Hamelin, A. (2012). Influence of family ownership on small business growth. Evidence from French SMEs. Small Business Economics, 41(3), 563 579.
- Hudson, M., Smart, A., & Bourne, M. (2001). Theory and practice in SME performance measurement systems. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 21(8), 1096 1115.
- Intrisano, C., Palomba, G., Di Nallo, L., & Calce, A. M. (2017). Accounting Beta : Which Measure Is the Best? Findings from Italian Market. European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences, 96, 110 121.
- Ismail, R., & Tarofder, A. K. (2015). Corporate governance structure and firm performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sri Lanka: A path to access the credit. Journal of Management, 12(1).
- James, H. S. (1999). Owner as Manager, Extended Horizons and the Family Firm. International Journal of the Economics of Business, 6(1), 41 55.
- Jensen, M. C., & Meckling, W. H. (1976). Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure. In Corporate Governance (pp. 77 132). Gower.
- La Rosa, F., & Bernini, F. (2018). Corporate governance and performance of Italian gambling SMEs during recession. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(3), 1939 1958.
- Liu, Y., Wei, Z., & Xie, F. (2014). Do women directors improve firm performance in China? Journal of Corporate Finance, 28, 169 184.
- Marchesnay, M. (1997). La spécificité de la gestion des PME [The specific nature of SME management]. (In French).
- Rechner, P. L., & Dalton, D. R. (1991). CEO duality and organizational performance: A longitudinal analysis. Strategic Management Journal, 12(2), 155 160.
- Roque, D. I., Álvarez, A. N. M., Rodríguez, J. H. E., & de Con, F. de la O. (2021). The use of accounting beta as a risk assessment method for unlisted companies in Colombia. Universidad y Sociedad, 13(2), 23 30.
- Rutkowska-Ziarko, A., & Markowski, L. (2022). Accounting and market risk measures of Polish Energy Companies. Energies, 15(6), 2138.
- Rutkowska-Ziarko, A., & Pyke, C. (2018). Validating Downside Accounting Beta : Evidence from the Polish Construction Industry. In K. Jajuga, H. Locarek-Junge, & L. T. Orlowski (Éds), Contemporary Trends and Challenges in Finance (pp. 81 87). Springer International Publishing.
- Sarmiento-Sabogal, J., & Sadeghi, M. (2015). Estimating the cost of equity for private firms using accounting fundamentals. Applied Economics, 47(3), 288 301.
- Shleifer, A., & Vishny, R. W. (1997). A Survey of Corporate Governance. The Journal of Finance, 52(2), 737 783.
- Wirtz, P. (1999). Évolution institutionnelle, schémas mentaux et gouvernement des entreprises: Le cas Krupp-Thyssen [Institutional evolution, mental frameworks and corporate governance: The Krupp-Thyssen case]. Finance Contrôle Stratégie, 2(1), 117. (In French).


