Graduation Year

Fall 2013

Document Type

Campus Only Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Economics-Accounting

Reader 1

Marc Masoud

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

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© 2013 Franceen T. Chua

Abstract

As globalization increases at a fast pace, more and more companies are diversifying their presence in foreign capital markets to gain access to capital. Today, strong corporate governance is an important element to a company’s long-term success. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, Cadbury Report and King Report from the US, UK and South Africa provide recommendations for good corporate governance. Corporate governance practices and guidelines vary greatly from country to country because of differences in economic, culture, and other factors. This study examines ten companies across different regions around the world analyzing each company’s board structure, committee structure and code of ethics. Results show that the prevalence of concentrated ownerships through family and group dynamics in Asian and Latin American companies convey the need for more independent directors in the board and committees to protect the interests of minority shareholders. European companies are leading the way in incorporating sustainability as part of corporate governance. As the world becomes more interdependent, successful corporate governance requires companies to adopt an inclusive approach to economic, social and environmental issues. Internalizing these issues as part of business strategy are essential for companies to be profitable, sustainable and respected in the future.

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