Anchoring Points for Corporate Directors

Book flyer
MS Word
International
MS Word

Anchoring Points for Corporate Directors Obeying the Unenforceable

(Click to Enlarge)

By Robert K. Mueller

ISBN: 1-56720-068-0

ISBN-13: 978-1-56720-068-3

DOI:

192 pages

Quorum Books

Publication: 7/30/1996

List Price: $110.95 (UK Sterling Price: £65.00)

Availability:

Media Type: Hardcover

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

Subjects:

Endorsement From Sir Adrian Cadbury, Former Chairman

Cadbury Schweppes: Family firms remain the dominant corporate form in Europe and so your wise counsel on how they should meet the challenges of growth and of succession is internationally relevant. Equally, your analysis of how boards can improve their effectiveness is of universal application. I wholeheartedly applaud your advocacy of having a strong group of independent directors on the board. As you rightly say, it is a concept whose time has come.

Endorsement From A.A. Sommer, Jr.
Counsel of Morgan, Lewis, & Bockius, LLP: If you mix broad reflected-on board and executive experience, omnivorous reading in economics, psychology, sociology and literature, deep wisdom, often subtle, always urbane wit, and uncommon wisdom, you get a book called Anchoring Points for Corporate Directors: Obeying the Unenforceable by Bob Mueller. He has enlightened all of us concerned with corporate governance through many writings for many years. This is his magnum opus. Even he will have difficulty topping this one.
Endorsement From Robert B. Stobaugh
Charles E. Wilson Professor of Business Administration, Emeritus, Harvard Business School: Robert Mueller, the "Dean" of the corporate governance field, has done it again. His new book provides an up-to-date picture of what's right and what's wrong in America's boardrooms. The book is peppered with fascinating stories, many from the author's personal experiences. Whether read in its entirety or used as a reference, the book offers any director or director-to-be valuable insights not available elsewhere.

Description: One remarkable organizational form that has served Western society well is the enterprise governed by an independent board of trustees or directors. Unless actions are taken to improve the conduct of publicly-held corporations, this form may become an endangered species. There are many important understandings and ideas that exist in the covenantal relationships between directors including exploratory problem-solving techniques based on the different starting points or anchors of each director. The anchoring points regarding the unwritten elements of conduct and effectiveness of a member of the board of directors are illustrated through personal experience. An important issue is the chairman and/or chief executive officer who does not take advantage of the board of directors as the most important asset. This type of person is a leader who does not understand the potential of the partnership between the board of directors and the chief executive. Performance and behavior of directors are guided by various laws, statutes, regulations, values, attitudes, benefits, customs, myths and norms which are the subject of most writings about board directorships. Considering all U.S. corporations, it is estimated that there are 400,000 to 500,000 directors. The status quo organization is not confined to the large, publicly held corporation. A parallel economy, the family or closely held business universe, possibly exceeds the publicly held universe in size. Anchoring points are offered herein to directors and those wanting their first board seat. These anchors concern the idea of service without dominance in the boardroom, and the anchors are about obeying the unenforceable in the area of corporate governance for the present time.

Table of Contents:

Preface
Moulton's Manners
Anchoring Points
Groupthink Pathology: How to Avoid This
Limitations to Live With: Director's Don't Have to Be Perfect
The Oyster Not the Shell: Enterprise versus Corporation
The Covenantal Divide: Contractual versus Covenantal Relationships
Power in Pinstripes: Partnership of CEO and the Board
No Business like Closely Held Business: The Larger Parallel Economy
Trousers of Decorum: Cover-Your-Backside Ethics
A Director's Guide to Staying Clean: Spirit as Well as Letter of the Law
Smart Directorship: Knowledge and Judgment
Appendix I: A Director's Do-It-Yourself Checkup
Appendix II: Board Maturity and Development

LC Card Number: 96-2214

LCC Class: HD2745

Dewey Class: 658


All rights reserved. Copyright © 1999-2009 ABC-CLIO 130 Cremona Dr., Santa Barbara, CA 93117, 805-968-1911