Brookings: Topics - Corporations

Comparing Technology Innovation in the Private and Public Sectors

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Technology can be a tool for making government better and democracy stronger. However, the public sector has continued to fall behind the private sector in technology innovation, writes Darrell West. Evaluating the web sites of leading U.S. corporations with state and national governments, West offers five reasons why the private sector has outpaced government in effective innovation, and ways the public sector could improve.

Strengthening America's Global Development Partnerships

Wed, 13 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As the Obama administration and Congress work to reform an outdated foreign assistance system, they have an opportunity to adapt official U.S. efforts to more effectively and efficiently support global development in partnership with businesses and civil society. Jane Nelson and Noam Unger recommend ways the U.S. government can better position itself within the 21st century global development ecosystem.

Risk, Reward and the Road to Economic Recovery

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

April 20, 2009, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM

Moving the economy toward sustainable long-term economic growth requires a more complete understanding of not only the root causes of the economic crisis, but both how it spread first to the financial sector and then to the real economy. On April 20, Brookings’s Initiative on Business and Public Policy hosted a discussion to explore Wall Street's role in triggering the economic crisis and the role Wall Street leaders may play in leading us out.

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.

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.

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.

U.S. Expanding the Law - Domestic and Foreign - to Benefit Corporations

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a recent op-ed, Ben Klemens addresses the issue of how the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative influences the restriction of generic drugs in the markets worldwide.

Do Politically Connected Firms Undermine Their Own Competitiveness?

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In a new Global working paper, Raj Desai and co-author Anders Olofsgård examines cronyism, specifically focusing on the competitiveness of politically favored firms, and finding that influential firms do innovate and invest less.

Should Sovereign Wealth Funds Be Regulated?

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

December 06, 2007, 12:00 PM to 12:00

Brookings recently hosted leading economists for a discussion on the breadth and depth of sovereign wealth funds and potential regulation.

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

Volunteering for Impact: Best Practices in International Corporate Volunteering

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Rehabilitating the Business Income Tax

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

This paper introduces the Business Enterprise Income Tax (BEIT), a comprehensive and detailed proposal for reforming business income taxation. Current law fails to tax all business income consistently and comprehensively. It distorts economic behavior and diverts managerial effort toward tax avoidance.

Reforming Corporate Taxation in a Global Economy: A Proposal to Adopt Formulary Apportionment

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

The current system of taxing multinational firms relies on separate accounting: firms account for earnings and costs in each location in which they operate. This system generates a large tax incentive to earn income in low-tax countries, and multinational firms respond by earning disproportionate profits in low-tax locations.

Investigating Public Transparency Policies

Tue, 01 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Interview with Mary Graham, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer (5/1/07)

Unfriendly Skies

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Crandall and Clifford Winston argue that policy-makers take the wrong approach in opposing recent merger attempts in the airline industry. While enforcement of antitrust laws can improve consumer welfare in some cases, Crandall and Winston conclude that government efforts to prevent such mergers "do little to improve consumer welfare and sometimes actually reduce it."

Leading in a Global Environment

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Presentation by Lael Brainard (11/2006)

Corporate Citizenship and Urban Problem Solving: The Changing Civic Role of Business Leaders in American Cities

Fri, 01 Sep 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This paper, along with two detailed case studies, traces the shifting landscape of business-civic organizations in 19 U.S. metropolitan areas.

The AT&T/BellSouth Merger: The Breakdown of 'Breakup'

Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT

This week's stunning announcement by AT&T that it had reached an agreement to acquire BellSouth for $67 billion is surely an affront to proponents of a strong antitrust policy for two reasons.

Equity Markets, The Corporation and Economic Development

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT

Modern economies are heavily dependent on the corporate form of doing business. The sheer scale of modern commercial activity, once it goes beyond the individual store and workshop, increasingly demands capital beyond the resources of most individual entrepreneurs.

The Big Telecomm Mergers: Nothing to Fear

Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

Robert Litan writes that the FCC-approved mergers of AT&T and SBC, and MCI and Verizon are a profound reshaping of the large companies that provide communications services. But, while these mergers certainly merit a watchful eye by antitrust authorities and regulators, the new facts in telecomm should significantly ease concerns that the mergers are anti-competitive.

The Corporate Scandals, Why They Happened And Why They May Not Happen Again

Tue, 13 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT

Speech by Larry D. Thompson, Chautauqua Institution (7/13/04)

America's Role in the Fight Against Global Poverty

Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:00:00 GMT

America’s role in the fight against global poverty was the focus of the first annual Brookings Blum Roundtable in 2004. Discussion centered on the imperative of political will, using foreign assistance, trade and financing for development, and how best to reinforce commitment and sustain development efforts.

Corporate Social Responsibility: The New Social Contract

Mon, 01 Sep 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Article by Ann Florini, What's Next? (Sept. 2003)

A Law That's Out of Date: Anti-Tying Restrictions On Banks

Tue, 27 May 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Robert E. Litan (5/27/03)

Congress Morphs an 'Itty-Bitty' Tax Cut Into a Budget Buster

Tue, 20 May 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Leonard E. Burman and Peter R. Orszag (5/20/2003)

Banks Must Be Untied from an Outdated Law

Tue, 06 May 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by Robert E. Litan (5/06/03)

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.

Business and Global Governance: The Growing Role of Corporate Codes of Conduct

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 00:00:00 GMT

The lack of effective international (and often national) regulation to protect workers, communities, and the environment has spurred the development of a powerful movement aimed at promoting corporate social responsibility.

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

Sat, 01 Mar 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Following the Money : The Enron Failure and the State of Corporate Disclosure

Wed, 26 Feb 2003 00:00:00 GMT

Following the Money focuses on the disjunction between national systems of corporate disclosure and the increasingly global character of capital markets. The authors offer recommendations for public and private decision makers on the accountin

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

Alternative Measures of Corporate Profits

Fri, 01 Nov 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Jack E. Triplett asks questions about economic and accounting concepts of profits and their implementations that cross the boundaries of the accounting and economics professions.

Cooking the Books

Wed, 04 Sep 2002 09:30:00 GMT

Event Information:

September 04, 2002, 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM

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

Democracy by Disclosure : The Rise of Technopopulism

Sun, 01 Sep 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Since the mid-1980s, Congress and state legislatures have approved scores of new disclosure laws to fight racial discrimination, reduce corruption, improve services, and reduce risks of everyday life. Graham argues that these requirements, enhanced b

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

Cooking the Books: The Cost to the Economy

Thu, 01 Aug 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Policy Brief #106, by Carol Graham, Robert Litan, and Sandip Sukhtanker (July 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

Toughening Corporate Disclosure Rules After Enron

Mon, 08 Jul 2002 10:00:00 GMT

Event Information:

July 08, 2002, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

The Tax Treatment of Foreign Income: Issues and Options

Thu, 09 May 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Testimony by William G. Gale, Senior Fellow, the Brookings Institution, before the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures, May 9, 2002

Injunctive Relief in Sherman Act Monopolization Cases

Wed, 24 Apr 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Paper by Robert W. Crandall and Kenneth G. Elzinga (4/24/2002)

The Enron Failure and the State of Corporate Disclosure

Mon, 01 Apr 2002 00:00:00 GMT

Policy Brief #97, by Robert E. Litan (April 2002)

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

The New York City Investment Fund: An Emerging Model For Corporate Engagement in Urban Development

Mon, 01 Oct 2001 00:00:00 GMT

This article traces the evolution of the New York City Investment Fund, and discusses the opportunities and challenges it encounters in its efforts to generate profit while producing positive social outcomes.

Unseen Wealth

Wed, 23 May 2001 00:00:00 GMT

Unseen Wealth stresses the importance of developing standards for identifying, measuring, and accounting for intangible assets, and recommends actions to government and business for improving the quality and quantity of available information about in

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.

Corporate Disclosure in the Internet Age

Wed, 24 May 2000 00:00:00 GMT

Corporate Disclosure in the Internet Age, opinion in the Financial Times, May 24, 2000, by Robert Litan, Vice President and Director, Economic Studies, Peter Wallison, American Enterprise Institute

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).

Sports, Jobs, and Taxes : The Economic Impact of Sports Teams and Stadiums

Tue, 21 Oct 1997 00:00:00 GMT

This book assesses the case for government subsidies for sports teams by examining the economic impact of new stadiums and the presence of a sports franchise on the local economy.

Business Taxes and the Flat Tax

Thu, 07 Mar 1996 00:00:00 GMT

Opinion by William Gale, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution

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,