TITLE
"Does Corporate Governance and Ownership Structure Influence Performance? Evidence from Taiwan Life Insurance Companies," Li-Ying Huang, Tzy-yih Hsiao, and Gene C. Lai Fall 2007, Volume 30, No. 2, pp 123-151. Full-text articles soon will be available through ABI/INFORM and EBSCO; click here for article PDF

ABSTRACT
This study examines the relation between corporate governance and performance and the relation between ownership structure and performance in the Taiwanese life insurance industry. We use the value-added approach of data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure performance. For our first performance measure, which uses premium income as the output variable, we find evidence that proportion of management shareholding, family-controlled insurers, foreign branch insurers, and insurer age are generally significantly positive related to technical efficiency. The relation between the above variables and allocative efficiency and cost efficiency is similar, but very weak. For our second performance measure, which uses claim benefit as output variables of the value-added approach, the results are similar but weaker. The two most consistent variables that have a positive impact on efficiency are familycontrolled insurer and insurer age.