A study of German and UK financial markets, addressing the relationship between corporate governance, ownership and financial performance in German and UK firms floated in the 1980s. Company micro-data is used to examine the firms' performances over the six years from flotation.

This book focuses on corporate governance and proposes a novel framework for combining the Corporate Governance Framework (CGF) with current corporate finance issues arising in the Contemporary Business Environment (CBE) and cointegrating them with today's business needs. It consists of a good collection of state-of-the-art approaches that will be useful for new researchers and practitioners working in this field, helping them to quickly grasp the current state of corporate governance and corporate financial performance.Good corporate governance is not only important for companies, but also for the society. To begin with, good corporate governance strengthens the public's faith and trust in corporate governance. Legislative processes were developed to protect the society from known threats and prevent problems from occurring or recurring. Recent corporate scandals shed light on the impact that corporations have on social responsibility. The new focus on the corporate governance framework increases the responsibility and accountability of companies to their stakeholders and provides a solid framework for enhancing corporate performance.

Handbook of Microfinance addresses the gap between clients who are benefiting from access to financial services via MFIs, and the potential market, which remains underserved or untapped. This gap can be attributed to a "mismatch" between what consumers, or potential clients, demand and what MFIs offer in terms of financial products. The scope of the book is wide. It includes successes and failures, main challenges and debates, methodologies for impact evaluation via random trials, leading trends in Asia versus Latin America, main efforts in Africa, the importance of value chains in Central America, ethical and gender issues, savings, microinsurance, governance, commercialization trends and the potential advantages and disadvantages of it. Lastly it features main lessons from informal finance and 19th-century credit cooperatives addressing the above-mentioned mismatch.

Corporate governance is an important aspect of managing a company, and it has a significant impact on the financial performance of IT firms. Corporate governance refers to the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled. Good corporate governance practices can help companies improve their financial performance and create value for shareholders. In the case of IT firms, good corporate governance can help them manage risks and make informed decisions about investments in technology and innovation. This can help firms stay competitive and profitable in a rapidly changing market. IT firms that have effective corporate governance practices in place are more likely to attract investors and retain talented employees, which can contribute to their financial success. One of the ways in which corporate governance can impact the financial performance of IT firms is by improving their transparency and accountability. Transparent reporting of financial information and clear lines of accountability can help investors and other stakeholders understand how the company is performing and make informed decisions about whether to invest in the company. Another way in which corporate governance can impact the financial performance of IT firms is by promoting ethical behavior and responsible management practices. IT firms that prioritize ethical behavior and social responsibility are more likely to attract and retain customers and investors who value these principles. This can help the firm build a strong reputation and brand, which can lead to increased profitability over the long term. Moreover, effective corporate governance practices can help IT firms mitigate risk and improve decision-making. This can lead to better allocation of resources and more efficient use of capital, which can improve the firm's financial performance. In conclusion, corporate governance plays a crucial role in the financial performance of IT firms. By promoting transparency, accountability, ethical behavior, and responsible management practices, IT firms can attract investors and customers, mitigate risk, and make better-informed decisions about investments in technology and innovation. The integration of strong corporate governance practices is vital for the long-term success of IT firms.

The relationship between ownership structure and firm performance has been studied extensively in corporate finance and corporate governance literature. Nevertheless, the mediation (path) analysis to examine the issue can be adopted as a new approach to explain why and how ownership structure is related to firm performance and vice versa. This approach calls for full recognition of the roles of agency costs and corporate risk-taking as essential mediating variables in the bi-directional and mediated relationship between ownership structure and firm performance. Based on the agency theory, corporate risk management theory and accounting for the dynamic endogeneity in the ownership–performance relationship, this book develops two-mediator mediation models, including recursive and non-recursive mediation models, to investigate the ownership structure–firm performance relationship. It is demonstrated that agency costs and corporate risk-taking are the ‘missing links’ in the ownership structure–firm performance relationship. Hence, this book brings into attention the mediation and dynamic approach to this issue and enhances the knowledge of the mechanisms for improving firm’s financial performance. This book will be of interest to corporate finance, management and economics researchers and policy makers. Post-graduate research students in corporate governance and corporate finance will also find this book beneficial to the application of econometrics into multi-dimensional and complex issues of the firm, including ownership structure, agency problems, corporate risk management and financial performance.