Corporate Governance - Role of Board of Directors

The board carries out the duties in regard to the interest of the companies’ shareholders, staff,

As Canadian Coalition for Good Corporate Governance indicates that the good governance of a corporation is essential to creating long-term sustainable value and reducing investment risk. In other words, the high quality performance of board directors plays a key role in the success of a corporation. We evaluate it based

To ensure that the company thrives and overcomes the crisis that may come on the way, the company has various strategies and ways to overcome that and to keep the company on the track which includes constitution and board of directors which has various roles and responsibilities. The company has got a constitution and also corporations’ act. The companies’ values are the trust, integrity and honesty. The board carries out the duties in regard to the interest of the companies’

Prior to the advent of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, referred to herein as “SOX,” the board of directors’ pivotal role was to advise senior leaders on the organization’s strategy, business model, and succession planning (Larcker, 2011, p. 3). Additionally, the board had the responsibility for risk management identification and risk mitigation oversight, determining executive benefits, and approval of significant acquisitions (Larcker, 2011, p. 3). Furthermore, for many public organizations, audit committees existed before SOX and provided oversight of internal processes and controls. Melissa Maleske (2012) advised that the roles and responsibilities of the board were viewed “…from a perspective that the board serves management” (p. 2). In contrast, Maleske (2012) noted that SOX regulations altered the landscape “…to a perspective that management is working for the board” (p. 2). SOX expanded not only the duties of the board and the audit committee, but also the authority of these bodies (Maleske, 2012, p. 2).

To the extent of prevention of corporate failure, I argue that three ASX principles and recommendations could halt the demise of Dick Smith. Firstly, the 2nd principle which is “Structure the board to add value” by structuring the board with a majority of independent directors would prevent CEO dominance because some suggest that independent outside directors can reduce the influence of dominant individuals (ASX, 2014, p. 17). In accordance with Gallagher and Bennie (2015, p. 20), the independent directors are likely to focus on the company’s objectives and not to make decision relying on others. Furthermore, an addressing of independent directors would reduce the reliance on management, and create the effectiveness on monitoring (Dechow et al. 1996 cited in Christensen, Kent, and Stewart (2010)), as well as capability to lessen the conflict of interest between managers and shareholders (Hardjo & Alireza, 2012, p. 4). Thus, DSE’s board would be more active to monitor the CEO’s performances because independent directors pay attentions to the interest of company (Gallagher & Bennie, 2015, p. 20) and shareholders (Hardjo & Alireza, 2012, p. 4)

In large corporations the success or failure of the company is the responsibility of the board of directors. According to Richard DeGeorge, “The members of the board are responsible to the shareholders for the selection of honest, effective managers, and especially for the selection for the CEO and of the president of the corporation.” (p. 202). The board members have a moral responsibility to ensure the corporation is run honestly, in respect to its major policies, and to ensure the interests of the shareholders are satisfied. The next responsibility within a corporation is the responsibility management has to its board of directors. DeGeorge writes, “It must inform the board of its actions, the decisions it makes or the decisions to be made, the financial condition of the firm, its successes and failures, and the like.” (p. 202). The management of the corporation is morally obligated to

Although each member has specific role, they all are strategically aligned. The CEO role is to manage the entire company. With this function, the CEO is much involved in succession planning for the company. The board of director’s role is assist with any decision making for the company. Mlot and Sorensen (2013) mentions that five board members provide practical advice to HR organizations regarding succession planning. Human resource role is recruiting and developing talent. With this function, human resource plays a critical role in selecting and developing talent for succession

The article is written to help readers gain a solid understanding the roles of corporate governance, both inside and outside the company. Its goal is simply to impart information, not make claims or arguments on its own. I will be judging it mainly on the sources gathered, numerous examples and explanations given and the overall effectiveness it possesses in effectively communicating its ideas.

The Board is ultimately responsible for all that the organisation does but in order for it to discharge its responsibilities appropriately and effectively, day-to-day and operational management is delegated to the Chief Executive Officer and the SMT .

It is the board's responsibility to consider and authorize a suitable remuneration package for the company's chief executive officer (CEO), make recommendations with respect to the attractiveness of dividends and dividends pay out, approve stock splits, form the audit committees, approve the company's financial statements, oversee management’s involvement in the shareholders and other stakeholders long-term interests and recommend or discourage major decisions such as acquisitions and mergers.

The Directors and officers shall perform the duties enjoined on them by law and the by-laws of the corporation. They act as agents or representatives of the Corporation in carrying out its rights and obligations provided by law. Directors who directed the affairs of the Corporation in bad faith, gross negligence, and those involving a conflict of interest with their duty to the Corporation shall be liable to the Corporation, its stockholders & other persons. The Board of Directors are not justified to purchase the stocks.

The board will help set strategies, direction, vision, hire/fire top management, monitor and supervise top management, oversee the use of resources, and care for shareholders' interests (Wheelen & Hunger, 2006, pp. 36-37).

The primary responsibility of the Board of Directors is to protect the interests of shareholders and maximize their wealth, guaranteeing the growth of the value of the corporation. Members of the Board of Directors are responsible for all affairs of the corporation and, in case of its bankruptcy, they may be involved in administrative and criminal proceedings. The Board of Directors dimension shall be determined by the needs of effective management, but the minimum number in accordance with the laws of each state can be from one to three members.

Selecting, evaluating and compensating the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and planning for CEO succession, as well as monitoring management’s succession planning for other key executives;

The board is critical in running an economic entity as it represents the backbone of its decision making process, as well as the backbone of the entire organizational affairs, activities and public image. As member of the board, the individual occupies a powerful and privileged position within the firm, but this position also comes with responsibilities. In other words, the board members are also subjected to some legal liabilities.