The Embedded Director - Antecedents and Consequences of Board Networks

Interlocking directorate networks resulting from directors’ multiple board memberships attract the attention of academics, politicians, and the general public. This book highlights selected areas in which the creation of board interlocks is of benefit for firms while at the same time illustrating their potential pitfalls. By linking social and economic theories with state-of-the-art methods of social network analysis, the author investigates antecedents and consequences of the complex system of network ties that connect the directors of the largest German firms. The studies in this book contribute to our understanding of how board interlocks emerge and which outcomes they cause. Important implications for corporate governance research and practice are discussed.