Corporate Governance ((4 Credits))

Catalog description

This course will introduce the field of corporate governance, defined as the accountability of corporate managers and the formal relationships between the various stakeholders of the firm. Students will become familiar with theory relating to the nature and role of the firm in the economy, with a special focus on the modern public corporation. The central theme of the course will be the debate between the shareholder and stakeholder models of corporate governance and managerial accountability, and the implications of these standpoints on theories of ethical business practice and the proper social function of the corporation. The impact of the corporate governance model selected on the values and culture of corporations will also be examined, alongside concepts such as corporate social responsibility (CSR). Notes: The course does not assume knowledge of the material of other business courses, and is focused on broad conceptual issues and discussions of the role and purpose of the modern joint stock corporation. The course will include some of the material covered in other more general business ethics courses, but there is no significant duplication since here there is a much deeper focus on corporate governance and on the specific issues facing the financial sector. This course is offered for our International Education program students.