Insight
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China, 27 October, 2017
Overcoming difference as Chinese investment in Europe grows
Chinese appetite for European investment has become ever more sophisticated, but it still pays for both parties to be aware of cultural and operational differences that may arise.
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Intangible assets, 25 October, 2017
Uncovering and understanding the hidden value of intangible assets
Eighty percent or more of an average company’s value could lie in its intangible assets. Understanding the hidden value of a business is the key to communicating its importance to stakeholders.
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Governance, 25 October, 2017
The guardianship circle: praxis of governance and audit committees
Why is the practice of corporate governance so different from best practice standards? Effective corporate governance "in practice" is fluid, context-specific and depends on practitioners’ skills, initiative and adaptation.
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Good Governance Report, 18 October, 2017
Governance concerns the whole organisation, not just the board
The 2017 Good Governance Report paints a positive picture of the quality of boardroom decisions in our largest organisations, but the focus must now turn to ensuring that the writ of the board is driven down through the organisation.
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Sustainability, 13 October, 2017
Enduring institutions prosper through serving society
The drive for sustainability has to some extent undermined the concept of shareholder value. Denis Kilroy argues that the key strategy companies should be pursuing is creating ongoing value and wealth.
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Global risk, 10 October, 2017
Risk hotspots: a global roundup
Board Agenda reports on risk-related convulsions across the globe, from Spain’s constitutional crisis to Washington’s ongoing conflict with North Korea.
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Boardroom skills, 5 October, 2017
Information asymmetry is good for effective boards
Commentators often complain that non-executives need more information. But recent research suggests that it is information asymmetry that actually makes non-executives effective.
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Remuneration, 5 October, 2017
Give investors a greater say on executive pay
Even non-binding shareholder votes on CEO pay improve firm performance and shareholder value.
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Ethics & leadership, 5 October, 2017
Non-executives and setting the right tone at the top
Striking the right tone is important for company leadership but it needs action to make it work.
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Reputational risk, 2 October, 2017
Managing reputation risk in the boardroom
A lot is spoken about organisational risk, but non-executives should remember their reputations are on the line too. Nick Hood describes the steps need to protect a personal reputation.
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Ethics & leadership, 27 September, 2017
Personal moral values key to ethical corporate governance
Moral values are so important for company directors they should be given equal weighting in selection procedures, while ethical competency should be a key performance indicator.
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Recruitment, 25 September, 2017
Unconscious bias is keeping women out of senior roles
Research shows that unconscious bias—affinity bias—may lead recruiters to favour candidates who are like themselves.
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Board effectiveness, 21 September, 2017
Twelve questions to determine board effectiveness
With boards facing increased regulatory and diversity pressures, the basics matter more than ever—and yet the board’s own performance, effectiveness, processes and habits receive scant reflection.
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Diversity & risk, 15 September, 2017
Does gender diversity affect a company’s risk management?
Do female board directors have less appetite for risk? Recent research attempted to reveal whether there is a link between gender in the boardroom and measures of risk.
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Corporate risk, 14 September, 2017
Risk: Why boards need a collective mindset
Handling risk should not be viewed as the domain of a boardroom “expert” but as an area for collective decision-making, where everyone recognises there is no such thing as certainty.
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King IV by Ansie Ramalho, 14 September, 2017
King IV on corporate governance: a product of African soil
The highly respected King reports lead global thinking on corporate governance. The most recent report drops the “apply or explain” principle for “apply and explain”—a significant change born of an effort to transform African economies.
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Board intervention, 14 September, 2017
Corporate governance and the proactive board
When should boards take a more proactive approach to governance and strategic decision-making? Research shows that non-executives needn't wait for a crisis to intervene.
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Patricia Harned – chief executive, Ethics & Compliance Initiative, 13 September, 2017
Corporate culture: five questions for the boardroom
Responsibility for safeguarding corporate culture falls with board directors, but how can that be done effectively? A good start would be to ask yourselves the following questions at every board meeting.
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Corporate governance, 8 September, 2017
Recommendations to rethink UK corporate governance
During the government's consultation period on corporate governance reform, a series of events in London enabled discussion of a governance model fit for the 21st century. Filip Gregor and Jeroen Veldman summarise the key conclusions.
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Effective board leadership, 8 September, 2017
Board chair practices across the world: an INSEAD study
In the second part of their global INSEAD report on successful board chairs, Stanislav Shekshnia and Veronika Zagieva compare factors such as culture, shareholder and executive relationships, and meeting preparation.