Corporate governance deals with how the suppliers of capital ensure that corporate managers make efficient use of that capital and provide investors with a return commensurate with the risk of the investment. Better governance lowers the cost of capital and leads to greater financial development and higher economic growth. Consequently, countries are searching for the set of governance practices, rules and regulations that will most effectively promote economic development.

This course will study the main corporate governance mechanisms, such as, legal and regulatory protection, the market for corporate control, ownership structure, executive compensation policies and practices, the board of directors, and shareholder activism. We will analyze how corporate governance practices differ across countries and how they relate to firm value and the development of capital markets.