Brookings: Topics - Corporate Governance

Creating Value for Business and Society

Wed, 13 May 2009 09:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

May 13, 2009, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM

The global financial crisis and the actions of a handful of individuals and companies have significantly eroded the public trust in corporations—in the United States and across the globe. Brookings and the Clinton Global Initiative hosted a discussion on corporate philanthropy and social responsibility in the midst of the economic downturn. The discussion featured former President William J. Clinton; Coca-Cola Chairman Muhtar Kent; Patricia A. Woertz, CEO and president of Archer Daniels Midland Company; and Kemal Derviş, vice president and director of Global Economy and Development at Brookings.

Know Thy Neighbor: What Canada Can Tell Us About Financial Regulation

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Obama administration and Congress are working rapidly to design a new regulatory architecture for the nation’s financial system. “They might consider taking a page or two from a model next door—Canada,” write Pietro Nivola and John C. Courtney, as they explore why the Canadian banking system remains solvent and solid amid the current global crisis.

Facing—and Fixing—"Too Big to Fail"

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:15:00 GMT

Event Information:

March 31, 2009, 9:15 AM to 11:30 AM

As public outrage grows over bonuses paid to employees at private firms being bailed out by the government, many are asking whether some companies are "too big to fail" and the consequences of propping up firms at any cost. The Initiative on Business and Public Policy at Brookings hosted Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Gary H. Stern and Vice President Ron J. Feldman to discuss the issue, along with former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan.

Restoring Obama's Promise

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Many argue that President Obama is biting off way more than he can chew, "overloading" the system and dealing with all sorts of "side issues," when he should be focusing solely on the broken economy. E.J. Dionne writes that Obama's biggest task will be restoring faith that what he had in mind is still possible.

The Financial Crisis and a Flaw in Corporate Capitalism

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The current financial crisis and the events that preceded it do not reveal a new problem in capitalism, says Gary Burtless. They do, however, highlight problems that have been obvious to careful observers for many years, and in some cases for centuries. One central problem underscored by the present crisis is the disconnect between the financial interests of senior company managers and the owners of the companies they work for.

The U.S. is Still a Capitalist Country

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As the New Deal took shape, President Franklin Roosevelt was accused of undermining capitalism. His response was that he was saving capitalism, not least from itself. Today, in the midst of another economic crisis, cries of "socialism" once again abound. These are old debates, writes Brookings expert William Galston, which many of us thought had been resolved during the New Deal. The fact that they are being revived today testifies both to the gravity of our economic ills and to the persistence of longstanding misconceptions about how modern market economies actually work.

How to Improve Governance : A New Framework for Analysis and Action

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This perceptive book emphasizes the need for an overall analytical framework that can be applied to different countries to help analyze the current situation, identify potential areas for improvement, and assess their relative feasibility and the steps needed to promote them.

Wall Street Ethics

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The financial crisis: more failures, fears, realignment, layoffs on Wall Street, with consequences around the world. Is anyone to blame? PBS's Religion and Ethics Newsweekly host Bob Abernethy and Rebecca Blank explore the ethical issues underlying the financial meltdown.

Corporate Action on Climate Adaptation and Development

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The 2008 Brookings Blum Roundtable recently convened representatives to focus on how the poor of the world will cope with climate change. With a few notable exceptions, the climate adaptation challenge, and the links between climate change, economic growth, human rights, and poverty alleviation, has not been high on the corporate agenda. Jane Nelson, an expert in corporate social responsibility, recommends the corporate community take action to address climate change adaptation in the developing world.

Corporate Governance

Fri, 30 May 2008 10:48:14 GMT

Former U.S. Attorney General Richard Thornburgh examines today’s corporate culture and finds that, while it is replete with good corporate citizens, we've seen a culture of greed and failure to observe basic fiduciary duties in the first part of this decade. Thornburgh says it is time for a system of corporate best practices for good governance.

Brookings Study Details Economic Cost of Recent Corporate Crises

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 19:09:26 GMT

News Release by the Brookings Office of Communications, July 2002

Improve Corporate Governance: Protecting Investors by Strengthening Gatekeeper Roles

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The strength of U.S. capital markets is in large part based on effective corporate governance. Without it, the valuable securities—including those in 401(k) plans and other retirement vehicles—of millions of Americans would be at risk. Dick Thornburgh and Michael J. Missal argue that the next President should protect the investments and retirement plans of millions of Americans by leading the effort to strengthen the roles of gatekeepers.

Conference on Public Disclosure of Tax Returns

Fri, 25 Apr 2003 08:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 25, 2003, 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM

A Case of "Enronitis"? Opaque Self-Dealing and the Global Financial Effect

Tue, 01 Apr 2003 00:00:00 GMT

The revelation of corporate scandals and the financial crises in the developing countries have persuaded many people around the world that "Enronitis," in its various guises, can seriously damage people's confidence in a financial system and retard economic development. Shang-Jin Wei and Heather Milkiewicz argue that an invigorated, worldwide reform effort will reduce the chance of future economic devastation that could result from poor public and corporate governance.

A Global Crossing for Enronitis?: How Opaque Self-Dealing Damages Financial Markets around the World

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 00:00:00 GMT

The Transformation of Corporate Governance in France

Wed, 01 Jan 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Analysis by Michel Goyer, MIT, for the Center on the U.S. and France, January 2003

Creating and Sustaining the Strong Director

Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Constance Horner, Guest Scholar, Governmental Studies, the Brookings Instituion, in Directors & Boards, Winter 2002

The Costs of Book-Cooking

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Carol Graham, Vice President and Director, Governance Studies, the Brookings Institution, and Robert E. Litan, Vice President and Director, Economic Studies, the Brookings Institution in the Christian Science Monitor, September 4, 2002

Fixing Corporate Disclosure After Enron

Fri, 16 Aug 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Article by Robert E. Litan, Vice President and Director, Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, August 22, 2002

Shares Crash Has a Silver Lining

Thu, 25 Jul 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Carol Graham, Vice President and Director, Governance Studies, the Brookings Institution, and Robert E. Litan, Vice President and Director, Economic Studies, the Brookings Institution, in the Australian Financial Review, July 25, 2002

The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall: An Estimate of the Costs of the Crisis in Corporate Governance

Mon, 22 Jul 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Working paper by Carol Graham, Robert Litan, and Sandip Sukhtankar, the Brookings Institution, for the Brookings Website

The Red Cross is No Enron

Wed, 06 Mar 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Opininion by Paul C. Light, Vice President and Director, Governmental Studies, the Brookings Institution, in The Christian Science Monitor, March 6, 2002

No Longer Business as Usual : Fighting Bribery and Corruption

Thu, 01 Mar 2001 00:00:00 GMT

This book provides the key elements needed to build and preserve corruption-free institutions, systems, and private enterprises.

Public Sector Corruption : An International Survey of Prevention Measures

Sat, 01 Apr 2000 00:00:00 GMT

This book surveys the measures that 15 OECD countries are currently using to protect their domestic public institutions against corruption. It is a companion to Ethics in the Public Service: Current Issues and Practice, (OECD 1996).

Wealth Creation and Wealth Sharing : A Colloquium on Corporate Governance and Investments in Human Capital

Fri, 26 Apr 1996 00:00:00 GMT

In this colloquium, a group of economists, social scientists, lawyers, labor relations specialists, business executives, and executives of financial institutions debate questions about the allocation of risks, returns, and rights in corporations.

The Deal Decade Handbook

Wed, 16 Jun 1993 00:00:00 GMT

In this companion handbook, Margaret Blair and Girish Uppal present summary statistics and details on the corporate restructuring movement of the 1980s.

Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Microeconomics 1993:1

Fri, 11 Jun 1993 00:00:00 GMT

For almost thirty years, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (BPEA) has provided academic and business economists, government officials, and members of the financial and business communities with timely research of current economic issues.

The Deal Decade : What Takeovers and Leveraged Buyouts Mean for Corporate Governance

Mon, 01 Feb 1993 00:00:00 GMT

Since the 1980s, U.S. companies have been reeling from the takeovers, leveraged buyouts, re-capitalizations, and junk bond issues affecting corporations. In this book, distinguished economists and scholars in the business administration, management,