Preventing Corporate Governance Failure

The key questions that need to be asked in every corporate governance analysis are 'who is running the firm' and 'how is accountability ensured'. When governance breaks down it is because of too much power concentration or not enough accountability or both. Practitioner or analyst, concerned with the listed firm or the non-listed, the reader of this book will gain a precise understanding of the causes and take away a practical toolbox for preventing future incidents of corporate governance failure.

Why U.S. corporate governance regulation has lost its way, and what must be done to improve it Modern history persuasively demonstrates the inexorable link that binds comprehensive regulation to the global economy. This important book, rather than simply recount a litany of corporate governance failures, persuasively explains why, despite policymakers' best intentions, regulation has failed in the modern era. An objective study intended for a diverse readership, Corporate Governance Regulation unveils the underlying, root causes of regulatory failure. The result: A compelling and original analysis, broadly suited for a global audience of all backgrounds. Written by published, subject-area experts, the authors carefully delineate how U.S. corporate governance regulation, beginning with Sarbanes Oxley, lacks an adequate rational basis, as may be attributed to a non-existent policy dialogue The witnessed result: A conspicuous lack of regulatory efficacy, enormous costs, coupled with paltry benefits The focus is upon reigniting a stalled, non-productive policy dialogue, by eschewing stale, overly-polemicized arguments, as needed to develop a common ground Drawing from an eclectic, analytic framework, governance experts Nicholas Vakkur and Zulma Herrera offer both the professional and global citizen alike a multi-dimensional understanding of issues critical to global economic health. Nuanced and persuasively argued, Corporate Governance Regulation represents a formidable catalyst in the elusive, ongoing quest for global economic stability.

Over the last two decades there has been a notable increase in the number of corporate governance codes and principles, as well as a range of improvements in structures and mechanisms. Despite this, corporate governance failed to prevent a widespread default of fiduciary duties of corporate boards and managerial responsibilities in the finance industry, which contributed to the 2007–10 global financial crisis. This book brings together leading scholars from North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East to provide fresh and critical analytical insights on the systemic failures of corporate governance linked to the global financial crisis. Contributors draw from a range of disciplines to demonstrate the severe limitations of the dominant corporate governance framework and its associated market-oriented approach. They provide suggestions on how the governance problems could be tackled to prevent or mitigate any future financial crisis and explore new directions for post-crisis corporate governance research and reforms.

Ward reveals ten specific failings that are built into our boardroom model and provides real-world fixes to get boards back on track. Ward mixes tart, insightful analogies (what do boards have in common with volunteer fire departments, the U.S. electoral college . . . and Howard Hughes?) with proven nuts-and-bolts advice for putting any board back on track. Order your copy today!

Recent examples of massive corporate failures, such as Enron, have highlighted the need to reform corporate governance at an international level. The importance of effective corporate governance for corporate success, as well as for social welfare, cannot be overstated. Corporate Governance and Accountability has been written to provide readers with an up-to-date summary of both theory and practice in the area. Features: Provides a full discussion of corporate governance issues taking the broadest view of the corporate governance agenda. Draws on the extensive and original research carried out by the authors and demonstrates the close relationship between academic research and professional practice. Contains numerous contemporary illustrations and case studies, including a chapter dedicated to the collapse of Enron. Focuses on the relevance of corporate governance reform throughout the world. Highlights the importance of corporate social responsibility to companies and institutional investors from a corporate governance perspective. Includes an appendix containing the Combined Code on Corporate Governance issued by the Financial Reporting Council in July 2003. Corporate Governance and Accountability has been written as a core textbook for students taking undergraduate and MBA courses in corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. A website containing answers to end of chapter questions for lecturers can be found at www.wileyeurope.com/go/solomon

Taking a close look at American corporate governance, the authors show what is missing in today's corporate governance, and support a case for activating the board of directors to put new controls on management and take responsibility for the result.

Driven to the Brink is a collection of short stories about corporate disasters and how inadequate governance and flawed culture caused a massive destruction of shareholder value. Look at any major corporate meltdown and two factors emerge: a failure of corporate governance and a culture where short-termism and greed are rewarded and risk is encouraged to flourish unchecked. Two years before the latest crash, Alicia Micklethwait co-wrote the best-selling Greed and Corporate Failure which examined some of the high profile corporate disasters of the early years of the 21st century. Sadly those lessons were forgotten. Companies have continued to be Driven to the Brink of disaster. Now, with co-author Patty Dimond, they examine what we must learn this time around. Drawing on in-depth case studies of the Libor scandal, Olympus, Co-op, Kids Company and others, Dimond and Micklethwait ask what have we learned and more importantly, what can we do to prevent these disasters from happening again? They also examine the large, emerging and less widely understood world of Corporate China with detailed discussion of the Lixel and Glaxo frauds. On a positive note, staying with China, they look at the story of Alibaba and ask is an ethical culture enough to protect shareholder rights?

Corporate misgovernance and the failure of government regulation have led to major financial fiascos. 'Disorganized crimes' are disruptive and costly. Munk links the two major eras of corporate misgovernance during the last decade to explain how these events occur and what can be done to prevent them from re-occurring.