It is clearly accepted that good governance is fundamental to the successfully continuing operating of any organisation. Corporate governance has gained tremendous importance in recent years, due to the developments brought about through globalisation concerning the harmonisation of procedures and structures and through the emergence of global norms for corporate governance. One factor which is significantly affected by such governance is that of risk assessment and management. Good governance reduces risk and facilitates its management. This is the focus of this book.

1. Introduction to Corporate Governance
   1. Introduction
   2. Governance
   3. Corporate Governance
   4. Governance systems and corporate social responsibility
   5. Relating corporate governance and corporate social responsibility
   6. References
   7. Further reading
   8. Self-test questions
2. Development of codes of governance and international comparisons
   1. Introduction
   2. Systems of governance
   3. Developing a framework for corporate governance
   4. Company management
   5. References
   6. Further reading
   7. Self-test questions
3. The principles of corporate governance
   1. Introduction
   2. The principles of governance
   3. Good governance and corporate behaviour
   4. Corporate Governance Principles
   5. Good Governance and Sustainability
   6. References
   7. Further reading
   8. Self-test questions
4. Stakeholders & the social contract: a broader view of corporate governance
   1. Introduction
   2. The Social Contract
   3. What is a stakeholder?
   4. Multiple stakeholdings
   5. The classification of stakeholders
   6. Stakeholder Theory
   7. Governance and stakeholders
   8. Relating corporate governance and corporate social responsibility
   9. Relating social responsibility with governance: the evidence
   10. Conclusions
   11. References
   12. Further Reading
   13. Self-test Questions
5. Issues concerning Sustainability
   1. Introduction
   2. Defining sustainability
   3. The Brundtland Report
   4. Critiquing Brundtland
   5. Sustainability and the Cost of Capital
   6. Redefining sustainability
   7. Distributable sustainability
   8. Summarising Sustainability
   9. ISO 26000
   10. Conclusions
   11. References
   12. Further reading
   13. Self-test Questions
6. Ethics, corporate governance and corporate behavior
   1. Introduction
   2. Defining ethics
   3. Ethical philosophies
   4. Corruption
   5. Culture
   6. The Gaia Theory
   7. Corporate Behaviour
   8. Governance, Ethics and Corporate Behaviour
   9. Corporate Reputation
   10. Conclusion
   11. References
   12. Further Reading
   13. Self-test Questions
7. Risk Management and Corporate Governance
   1. Introduction
   2. Attitudes to risk
   3. Managing risk
   4. Risk Management Strategies
   5. Risk probability profiles
   6. A Typology of risk
   7. Risk analysis: the cost of capital
   8. The Capital Asset Pricing model
   9. The cost of capital for a business
   10. Summary
   11. References
   12. Further reading
   13. Self-test questions
8. The Audit function and the role of regulation
   1. Introduction
   2. The role of audit
   3. The Audit Committee
   4. Agency theory and asymmetric power
   5. Agency Theory
   6. Conclusions concerning the theory
   7. Rating Agencies
   8. Regulation
   9. The 2008 financial crisis
   10. Failures in regulation
   11. Conclusions
   12. References
   13. Further reading
   14. Self-test questions
9. Corporate Governance in non-commercial organisations
   1. Introduction
   2. Definitions
   3. The role of NGOs
   4. Inflation and NGOs
   5. Distinguishing features of sector
   6. Types of NFP organisation
   7. Motivation for NFPs
   8. Implications for managers
   9. Available resources
   10. Structure of a charity
   11. Accounting issues
   12. Governance issues in NFPs
   13. Conclusions
   14. References
   15. Further reading
   16. Self-test questions
10. Globalisation and corporate governance
    1. Introduction
    2. Globalisation
    3. The concept of global governance
    4. Global perspectives
    5. How Globalisation Affects Governance
    6. Globalisation, Corporate Failures and Corporate Governance
    7. Conclusion
    8. References
    9. Further Reading
    10. Self-test Questions
11. Endnotes