ECO 238 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

An introduction to the topic of corporate governance with a focus on large publicly traded corporations. At the firm level, the importance of corporate governance is justified by the complexity of the contractual environment where owners (shareholders), executive managers, boards of directors, and other stakeholders interact. The course covers topics in ownership and control, managerial monitoring and compensation, the structure and diversity of the board of directors, and shareholder engagement and activism. Also, in the wake of various corporate scandals worldwide, the role of corporate governance codes and regulation in setting new standards and best practices is evident. The course looks at the evolution of these corporate governance standards, both in the U.S. and internationally.