Corporate Governance : A Synthesis of Theory, Research, and Practice

A detailed look at the importance of corporate governance in today's business world

The importance of corporate governance became dramatically clear at the beginning of the twenty-first century as a series of corporate meltdowns from managerial fraud, misconduct, and negligence caused a massive loss of shareholder wealth.

As part of the Robert W. Kolb Series in Finance, this book provides a comprehensive view of the shareholder-manager relationship and examines the current state of governance mechanisms in mitigating the principal-agent conflict. This book also offers informed suggestions and predictions about the future direction of corporate governance.

• Relies on recent research findings to provide guidance through the maze of theories and concepts
• Uses a structured approach to put corporate governance in perspective
• Addresses essential issues related to corporate governance including the idea of principal-agent conflict, role of the board of directors, executive compensation, corporate monitoring, proxy contests and corporate takeovers, and regulatory intervention

Corporate governance is an essential part of mainstream finance. If you need to gain a better understanding of this topic, look no further than this book.

H. KENT BAKER, PHD, CFA, CMA, is University Professor of Finance and Kogod Research Professor at the Kogod School of Business, American University. He has published extensively in leading academic and professional finance journals including the Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Financial Management, Financial Analysts Journal, Journal of Portfolio Management, and Harvard Business Review. Professor Baker is recognized as one of the most prolific authors in finance during the past fifty years. He has consulting and training experience with more than 100 organizations and has been listed in fifteen biographies.

RONALD ANDERSON, PHD, is a Professor of Finance and the Gary Cohn Endowed Research Professor at the Kogod School of Business, American University. He currently serves as the Chair of the Department of Finance and Real Estate. Before earning his PhD, he worked as an engineer and corporate executive for Schlumberger Limited for more than eleven years, holding both domestic and international posts. Professor Anderson has published extensively on the subject of corporate governance in leading journals in finance, management, accounting, and economics.