Sky Blog
The chief executive officer (CEO) and the top management team are typically viewed as critical to the success or failure of companies. As it is not uncommon for top executives to make value-destroying decisions, the role of internal control mechanisms, …
The ever-evolving challenges facing corporate boards prompt an updated snapshot of what is expected from the board of directors of a major public company—not just the legal rules, but also the aspirational “best practices” that have come to have equivalent …
In the United Kingdom, successive codes of best practice in corporate governance have highlighted the important role of outside or non-executive directors in ensuring that corporations are run for the benefit of their shareholders. While the first code of best …
A number of recent studies have focused on how the behavior of chief executives affects their firms’ financial decisions. We contribute to this literature by looking at the connections between CEOs’ personal finances and those of their firms. Unique data …
A key principle of financial reporting is that “information should be expressed so that substance, not form, governs” [1]. What this means is that “the financial statements and accompanying disclosures of a business should reflect the underlying realities of business …
The board of directors is the highest decision-making authority in a corporation. But sometimes boards struggle to make decisions. In surveys, 67 percent of directors report the inability to decide about some issues in the boardroom. Moreover, 37 percent say …
On December 14, ISS released its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) documents on U.S. Compensation Policies and U.S. Equity Compensation Plans as well as a whitepaper on Pay-for-Performance Mechanics designed to help stakeholders understand upcoming changes to its compensation-related methodologies. These …
In recent years, there has been considerable criticism of the amount of money that CEOs earn to run the largest U.S. companies. Governance researchers have expended considerable resources examining executive compensation in an effort to determine whether pay levels are …
Fiscal policy—and taxation in particular—is one of the most important tools that policymakers can use to influence the economy. While the effect of corporate taxes on managers’ corporate investment decisions has been extensively studied, little is known about the effect …
The separation of corporate ownership from control leads to an agency problem caused by the divergent interests of shareholders (the principals) and management (the agent). One area of contention is the level of risk-taking by the firm. Managers’ investment in …
As organizations continue to evolve and grow, so too does the role of the general counsel. Recent, diverse developments underscore how general counsel are no longer just corporate lawyers but also essential executive officers.
These developments include the emergence and …
Recent news of sexual harassment and other legal controversies at Uber and throughout Silicon Valley serves as a vivid reminder that irresponsible and unethical conduct continues across the corporate landscape. Revelations of serious transgressions by senior corporate leaders belies a …
In a new paper, we examine how tournament-based incentives affect corporate cash holdings and the value of those holdings for shareholders.
Before a firm selects a new CEO, it may run a tournament within the firm to rank its vice-presidents …
The corporate governance literature has shown a strong link between good governance practices and firm value. The mechanisms, however, that determine the choice of effective corporate governance and board arrangements in a changing global market are not well studied. In …
Debate about the ideal tenure length for directors has been reignited with the recent international proposals to limit the terms of independent directors. The underlying motivation for such proposals is to ensure that “the purpose behind the independent director rule …
When high-profile cases of fraud make the news, we often focus our attention on the CEO or other C-suite executives, asking what signs were missed and how we might better anticipate who might commit fraud. Academics have researched the characteristics …
Much of the public has long believed that executives are overcompensated, a sentiment that has occasionally crept into legislation. In one case, Congress voted to impose punitive excise taxes on managers who received excessive golden parachute payments. Unlike most taxes …
In September 2009, Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis suddenly announced his intention to retire by the end of the year. The company’s board was taken by surprise as it scrambled to find a successor and was further embarrassed as …
It’s great to be here today [November 30] with so many people involved in the fight against international corruption. The diversity of this crowd – which includes folks from the public and private sector, from the United States and abroad, …
The staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued new guidance on the SEC’s rules requiring companies to disclose the pay ratio between their CEO and median compensated employee. The staff’s new …