This book is a major advancement in the area of complexity and corporate governance. By bringing together a range of leading experts in the fields of complexity and corporate governance, this book manages to knowledgeably wed the emerging field of complex systems thinking with the more established area of corporate governance. It brings a range of new and exciting concepts, such as emergence, co-evolution and selforganisation, and integrates them into an overarching and holistic understanding of corporate governance that is a clear benefit to corporate actors and stakeholders. The book is a major resource for both academic and practitioner audiences.

This title takes an innovative approach to corporate governance, linking governance and complexity. It reviews the financial and legal literature as well as complexity theory, drawing on the knowledge and insights of the contributing authors to illustrate how complexity theory may enable more effective governance frameworks.

Manuscript Type: ConceptualResearch Question/Issue: How can increased environmental complexity be managed better through more effective integration of corporate governance and CSR? What are the deficiencies of the predominant corporate governance architecture with regard to CSR support and how can the corporate governance architecture improve to support higher levels of managerial responsibility?Research insights/findings: Based on insights from complexity theory, we find that the prevailing complexity reduction approaches lead to suboptimal corporate governance and CSR with regard to establishing managerial responsibility. We suggest that the lens of complexity absorption provides ways to redesign the approach to both corporate governance and CSR. Integrating governance and CSR by establishing decentralized governance structures that divide labor and power among all strategic stakeholders ensure higher levels of managerial responsibility.Theoretical/Academic Implications: We outline the conceptual connection between corporate governance and CSR and advance thinking about integration that improve both. We outline why traditional, centralized governance architecture (e.g. unitary board structures) fail to support monitoring and strategic advice functions concerning CSR of the board adequately. We use complexity theory and argue that complexity reduction approaches to both governance and CSR are failing in complex environments. We also suggest that complexity absorption approaches can help address such failures. Finally, we suggest how governance and CSR can be integrated to absorb complexity and increase managerial responsibility. We thus contribute theoretically by advancing the conceptualization of corporate governance and CSR as well as by providing alternative thinking on governance structures.Practitioner/Policy Implications: We suggest that practitioners and policy makers consider complexity absorption as an alternative to integrate Corporate Governance and CSR which will lead to higher levels of managerial responsibility. We provide evidence that decentralized governance structures that actively divide labor and power among stakeholders can lead to better outcomes in a complex environment.

This book explores a most central phenomenon in our contemporary businesses and organization, the growing complexity in business. Economic growth and growth of complexity always have been inseparable, but the last decennia the growth of complexity appears to outrun our growth of knowledge and understanding. For success and continuity, the modern firm in the developing complexity of its markets and societal contexts must have the capacity to master and exploit a commensurate level of complexity in its internal organization. This book is the first of its kind to help the reader to understand the different types of complexity and the different concepts and tools to deal with each of them in business administration, strategy, and organization. This book offers the reader a fresh perspective on conventional concepts and tools in the field of business administration and bridges these to new concepts as are being used to exploit new complexities. In the process, the reader becomes familiar with the rich cybernetic concept of information, as a basis for the information-based organization and to master big data. With that complex decision-making is clarified and a fresh understanding of the core function of the organization, coordination, is offered for those who want to solve the issue of self-coordination. The book provides working examples but even more the strongest tool to master and to reduce complexity: a deeper and broader understanding of what is going on beneath the surface of what we experience daily. This book builds on Herbert Simon’s hypothesis of simplicity: ‘to use the simplicity of process to deal with the complexity of state.’

A detailed look at the importance of corporate governance in today's business world The importance of corporate governance became dramatically clear at the beginning of the twenty-first century as a series of corporate meltdowns from managerial fraud, misconduct, and negligence caused a massive loss of shareholder wealth. As part of the Robert W. Kolb Series in Finance, this book provides a comprehensive view of the shareholder-manager relationship and examines the current state of governance mechanisms in mitigating the principal-agent conflict. This book also offers informed suggestions and predictions about the future direction of corporate governance. Relies on recent research findings to provide guidance through the maze of theories and concepts Uses a structured approach to put corporate governance in perspective Addresses essential issues related to corporate governance including the idea of principal-agent conflict, role of the board of directors, executive compensation, corporate monitoring, proxy contests and corporate takeovers, and regulatory intervention Corporate governance is an essential part of mainstream finance. If you need to gain a better understanding of this topic, look no further than this book.

This book debates the meaning and purpose of corporate governance in advanced countries today. The issues discussed centre on relationships within the firm e.g. between labour, managers, and investors, and relationships outside the firm that affect consumers or the environment.