Business Elites and Corporate Governance in France and the UK is a cross-national study of business elites and corporate governance in France and the UK. It examines corporate governance from a comparative standpoint and looks beneath the surface at the exercise of power and authority in two distinct national business systems. It explores key issues concerning business elites, their networks, recruitment and reproduction. It aims to shed light on the mechanisms that govern the stability and regeneration of business elites against the backdrop of an increasingly global economy.

Business Elites and Corporate Governance in France and the UK is a cross-national study of business elites and corporate governance in France and the UK. It examines corporate governance from a comparative standpoint and looks beneath the surface at the exercise of power and authority in two distinct national business systems. It explores key issues concerning business elites, their networks, recruitment and reproduction. It aims to shed light on the mechanisms that govern the stability and regeneration of business elites against the backdrop of an increasingly global economy.

Transnational communities are social groups that emerge from mutual interaction across national boundaries, oriented around a common project or 'imagined' identity. This common project or identity is constructed and sustained through the active engagement and involvement of at least some of its members. Such communities can overlap in different ways with formal organizations but, in principle, they do not need formal organization to be sustained. This book explores the role of transnational communities in relation to the governance of business and economic activity. It does so by focusing on a wide range of empirical terrains, including discussions of the Laleli market in Istanbul, the institutionalization of private equity in Japan, the transnational movement for open content licenses, and the mobilization around environmental certification. These studies show that transnational communities can align the cognitive and normative orientations of their members over time and thereby influence emergent transnational governance arrangements.

Bringing together a number of leading scholars and pioneering research, this volume explores the links between corporate governance and international business, and demonstrates how corporate governance influences the attractiveness of host countries to inward investors, as well as the internationalization strategies of MNEs themselves.

For many Americans, capitalism is a dynamic engine of prosperity that rewards the bold, the daring, and the hardworking. But to many outside the United States, capitalism seems like an initiative that serves only to concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few hereditary oligarchies. As A History of Corporate Governance around the World shows, neither conception is wrong. In this volume, some of the brightest minds in the field of economics present new empirical research that suggests that each side of the debate has something to offer the other. Free enterprise and well-developed financial systems are proven to produce growth in those countries that have them. But research also suggests that in some other capitalist countries, arrangements truly do concentrate corporate ownership in the hands of a few wealthy families. A History of Corporate Governance around the World provides historical studies of the patterns of corporate governance in several countries-including the large industrial economies of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States; larger developing economies like China and India; and alternative models like those of the Netherlands and Sweden.

. . . a thorough and insightful examination of women on corporate boards of directors. . . I recommend the book as a read for practitioners, scholars, educators and others having an interest in human resource management. . . With its wealth of information, Women on Corporate Boards of Directors is a good addition to the extant literature that should represent an affordable value for the buyer. Mark Mone, Personnel Review After the first two chapters I was so absorbed I was almost reluctant to go to coffee and, as other coffee addicts will know, it is a rare book, especially a rare academic book that can make one careless in observing the customary coffee break. . . I found that the way this book is written helped me to reflect on much of the gender research that I am involved in currently because the questions raised are so searching and far-reaching. Once again, the chapter authors combine brevity with thoroughness and depth in their examination of the themes, which made this a very rewarding book because it takes you so far in your thinking in just 240 pages. . . I feel energised by the debates that the book has opened up for me. I have done research in this particular area, but I now feel that I have explored different perspectives and new depths and I am grateful to the editors for that. Marianne Tremaine, Gender in Management: An International Journal This timely collection of case studies and research from top academics around the world, will be of tremendous value to all those engaged in bringing about greater gender diversity in corporate boardrooms. Jacey Graham, Brook Graham LLP This book provides an excellent overview of contemporary international research and practice relating to women on corporate boards of directors. An important lesson learnt from this book is: rather than having only one or two competent and committed women on the boards of directors, an ideal number of three is not only the right thing but also the bright thing to do. Why? Research has documented a strong positive correlation between the share of board seats held by women and financial performance. Martin Hilb, University of St. Gallen, Switzerland There are still common barriers that women face across many countries that keep their representation on boards of directors low and relatively unchanging. I commend this excellent, outstanding book to both academics and business management constituencies, as well as individuals interested in serving on corporate boards. The authors should be congratulated for this important contribution to the literature. Marilyn Davidson, The University of Manchester, UK This important new book addresses the growing international interest in women on corporate boards of directors. The contributors explore the position of women on corporate boards and future trends in different countries including Australia, Canada, France, Iceland, Jordan, New Zealand, Norway, Spain, Tunisia, the UK and the USA. They go on to report the latest research on the experiences and different contributions made by women directors on corporate boards. Issues discussed include: How women directors champion difficult issues and debates How women influence boardroom behaviour The contribution of women directors human and social capital Gendered experiences and the glass cliff The glass ceiling or a bottleneck? Networking to harness local power for national impact Women on board in best practice companies Whether critical mass makes a difference? Future directions for research. Women on Corporate Boards of Directors brings together the significant international research base with suggestions aimed at individuals aspiring to board membership, women and men currently serving on corporate boards, companies interested in attracting women to their boards, and government bodies wanting to identify the challenges and opportunities facing them as they consider various options for increasing women s representation on corporate

This collection of fresh, incisive scholarship, by some of the leading business historians, critically examines the nature of economic recovery in Britain in recent years. Covering the key issues for business history in this period, the book confronts the traditional literature on conclusions of relative decline, and monocausal, simplistic explanations. It provides an impressive range of studies forming a platform for a new debate on the nature of British business in the 20th century. Themes include productivity, management, research and development, marketing, regional clusters and networks, industrial policy, the use of technology, and gender. Sector studies include newer, post-war hopefuls and successes including: * aerospace, * IT, * retail, * banking, * overseas investment, * the creative industries. The book demonstrates that our understanding of the historic strengths and weaknesses of business in Britain, and the shifting balance between sectors of the economy, has until now been poorly understood, and that British business history needs a fundamental reappraisal.