This volume takes a hard look at the soft practice of corporate governance. It grew out of a series of contributions from the Third ISBEE World Congress on Business Ethics that took place on July 2004 in Melbourne.
Good governance is good PR, it is important in every sphere of society, whether it be the corporate environment, the political, or wider society. When resources are too limited to meet the minimum expectations of the people, it is a good governance level that can help to promote the welfare of society. Enlightened companies recognise that there is a clear link between governance and corporate social responsibility and make efforts to link the two. Unfortunately this is too often no more than making a claim that good governance is a part of their CSR policy as well as a part of their relationship with shareholders. Corporate Governance and CSR are significant issues in all parts of the world, huge amounts of time and energy are devoted to its global interpretation. Most analysis however is too simplistic to be helpful as it normally resolves itself into simple dualities: rules based v principles based or Anglo-Saxon v Continental. The editors of this book argue that this is not helpful - that the reality is far more complex. They show that Corporate Governance and CSR cannot be understood without taking geographical, cultural and historical factors into account. It is necessary, they say to understand the concerns of people in different parts of the world. Therefore, by using a wealth of case studies, theoretical models, and drawing on the knowledge and perspective of experts from around the world, the editors have produced this valuable book. Global Perspectives on Corporate Governance and CSR discusses issues such as regional and cultural similarities and differences, the contexts of differing legal frameworks and governance codes, differences between large companies and SMEs, governance in new environments (companies and economies) versus stable environments, and the changing environment affecting corporate social responsibility around the world. The editors then synthesise this in a way that will be helpful to business people as well as to academics.
This book can be highly recommended to corporate directors, executives, managers and interested academics. At the same time, however, I think it should also be on the reading list of every politician involved in rethinking the regulations of the economic system in these times of social, ecological and financial crisis. Frederic Ghys, Ethical Perspectives This is an interesting and thought provoking study that deals with a relatively neglected area of corporate and personal leadership. . . this book makes a significant contribution to recognising the emerging social and moral responsibilities of the individual leader at board level. . . The case studies used to support the author s argument are extremely detailed and would certainly be of interest to those on corporate boards and directors of organisations who maybe seeking answers to lessons learned and the author makes a clear recommendation regarding the teaching of virtuous values to corporate leaders. Trevor K. Horne, Leadership Matters Corporate Governance and Ethics is an illuminating and practical reading of Aristotle s Politics for today s corporate directors. With a deft synthesis of ethics, economics and politics, Alejo Sison elevates the discussion of corporate governance out of the realm of abstract rules and structures into a more effective form of Aristotelian politics. He argues that corporate governance is a human practice where subjective, ethical conditions outweigh the mastery of techniques, since the firm is not a mere production function but, above all, a community of workers. Corporate governance issues are discussed in a holistic fashion, using international case studies to embed the discussion in environments defined by their economic, legal and cultural systems. One of the author s key messages is that reform starts with the ethical and political education of directors. Alejo Sison uses an integrative approach to corporate governance that incorporates ethical-political considerations with the economic and legal dimensions of issues. He backs his theoretical claims with a series of case histories including Fiat from Italy, Cheung Kong Holdings and Whampoa Limited from China, Banco Popular from Spain and United Airlines from the US. He provides a special focus on the education of corporate directors in accordance with the principles of Aristotle s Politics. This accessible book will appeal to corporate directors, executives and managers; academics and students with an interest in corporate governance, leadership and ethics, corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility; and modern readers of Aristotle s virtue theory and politics in relation to business ethics.
This volume explores corporate governance from three perspectives: a traditional economic, a philosophical, and an integrated business ethics perspective. Corporate governance has enjoyed a long tradition in the English-speaking world of management sciences. Following its traditional understanding it is defined as leadership and control of a firm with the aim of securing the long-term survival and viability of that firm. But recent business scandals and financial crises continue to provide ample cause for concern and have all fuelled interest in the ethical aspects. As a result, corporate governance has been criticized by many social groups. Economic sciences have failed to provide a clear definition of the corporate governance concept. Complexity increases if we embed the economic approach of corporate governance in a philosophical context. This book seeks to define the concept by examining its economic, philosophical and business ethics foundations.
Colleges and universities play an important role in training competent and ethical future academic and business leaders. In today’s global business environment, with volatile worldwide capital markets and eroded investor confidence in corporate accountability, the demand for effective corporate governance and ethical conduct in ensuring reliable financial information is higher than before. This book is intended to develop an awareness and understanding of the main themes, perspectives, frameworks, concepts, and issues pertaining to corporate governance and business ethics from historical, global, institutional, commercial, best practices, and regulatory perspectives.
This book is the first systematic scholarly study on the business history of Turkey from the nineteenth century until the present. It aims to place the distinctive characteristics of capitalism in Turkey within a global and comparative perspective, dealing with three related issues. First, it examines the institutional context that shaped the capitalist development in Turkey. Second, it focuses on the corporate actors, entrepreneurs and business enterprises that have led the national economic growth. Third, it explores the ethical foundations and social responsibility of business enterprises in the country. The comparative and historical approach sets the volume apart from previous books on the subject. Business, Ethics and Institutions aims to strengthen scholarly and policy understanding of Turkish capitalism and the diversified business groups which dominate the economy by providing a deep analysis of the evolution of political and social institutions which shaped corporate activity. It demonstrates the key role played by large family-owned business groups in Turkey’s development. It also seeks to identify both the similarities and the differences in the Turkish pattern of economic development, making comparisons with Japan, an early example of catch-up, and a more successful model than Turkey. The comparative perspective makes the book highly relevant to a wide range of scholars interested in the institutional foundations of modern capitalism and will be of value to researchers, academics, and students in the fields of business and economic history, ethics, organizational studies, and entrepreneurship.
A firm’s productivity has mainly been based on human capital resources, with organizational value and performance dependent on the knowledge and skills of their managers and employees. Because human capital research captures the transformation and complexity of productive organizations in today’s globalized economy, it is crucial to grasp the scope and breadth of human capital-intensive firms (HCIF) and their impact in relation to value creation. Global Perspectives on Human Capital-Intensive Firms is an essential reference source that provides an advanced analysis of modern firms at an analytical and empirical level, as well as a transdisciplinary approach to how human capital will impact the economics and management of a firm. Featuring research on topics such as firm performance, knowledge creation, and organizational management, this book is ideally designed for accountants, researchers, professionals, business managers, human resource managers, graduate-level students, academicians, consultants, and practitioners seeking coverage on the evolution of HCIF in different sectors, their internal and external organizations, and their performance.
Recent corporate failures have attracted the attention of managers, governments and the general public to the role of governance and social responsibility. Ranging from managerial behaviour and reward systems, to environmental protection and human rights, governance and social responsibility encompasses a variety of thought provoking business issues. In Governance and Social Responsibility, Aras and Crowther bring together the considerable debates about what exactly it is, and how it can be applied to business. Key Features: - Written by leading governance and social responsibility experts - International coverage and orientation - Comprehensive coverage of CSR issues and debates - Excellent pedagogy, including case studies, reflective questions and further reading Firmly grounded in academic research, Governance and Social Responsibility is an ideal companion for CSR courses at all levels.
This volume re-integrates corporate governance and business ethics which can be treated as separate entities. It traces recent ways in which the ethics of corporate governance have been articulated through reviews of practice, ethical re-evaluations, agency theory, the stakeholder concept and international developments.