Corporate Governance and Complexity Theory (Hardcover)

'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 self-organisation, 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.' - Robert Geyer, Lancaster University, UK`Corporations are usually perceived through the lens of traditional disciplines as creatures of law or as economic agents. The absence of a single language of accountability has been unsatisfactory to the point of contributing to the seeming endemic failures of corporate governance. Corporate Governance and Complexity Theory is a hugely important step forward in introducing a new way of thinking about the impact of corporate power. Its concluding words tell it all. ''The holistic approach adopted by complexity theory consists of looking at all related entities, or in this case all corporate governance actors, that interact and influence each other, within the entire corporate governance environment or corporate governance social ecosystem''. The theory also offers a new interpretation of corporate governance, and thus provides some novel insights. The book is well written, helpfully organized and jargon free. It is exciting in concept and execution. You will enjoy it.' - Robert Monks, Lens Governance Advisors< This multidisciplinary book takes an innovative approach to corporate governance by linking governance and complexity theory. It provides important new insights into why governance systems are failing and what may be done to improve this situation. A key issue that scholars, practitioners and regulators of corporate governance face is the complexity of the relationships between a company and its shareholders, as well as its stakeholders and gatekeepers. The authors, who are corporate governance specialists from a variety of disciplines including law, finance and economics, propose an innovative approach and key insights on corporate governance. In the process they also address some significant gaps in the literature and deal with methodological limitations. This new approach uses concepts from complexity theory to deal with the frequently complex relationships between the corporation and its stakeholders and gatekeepers. The holistic approach to the study of corporate governance will prove invaluable to academics and postgraduate students in accounting, economics, finance, law or complexity theory with an interest in corporate governance. This book will be also prove to be an essential resource for regulators and practitioners interested in corporate governance issues.