Corporate governance in the USA and Europe: they are closer than you might think

Abstract

Purpose

Aims to provide an insightful viewpoint on the growing similarity of corporate governance for companies in the USA and Europe and to provide corporate leaders with a framework for anticipating corporate governance changes in order to avoid risks and maximize enterprise value.

Design/methodology/approach

Likely patterns of corporate governance changes are derived through the examination of the underlying factors impacting corporate governance in the USA and Europe and matching these with multiple corporate governance events or changes in the marketplace.

Findings

Corporate governance in the USA and Europe is becoming more similar even though the underlying drivers for convergence are different in Europe and the USA.

Research limitations/implications

Conclusions are based on a limited number of anecdotal observations and are not empirically substantiated.

Practical implications

Provides a useful framework for understanding the likely development of corporate governance in the USA and Europe, thereby helping corporate leaders to better anticipate opportunities and risks.

Originality/value

This paper identifies an important pattern in changes to corporate governance which has hereto received little attention in the business and academic press.

Citation

Payne, A. (2006), "Corporate governance in the USA and Europe: they are closer than you might think", Corporate Governance, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 69-71. https://doi.org/10.1108/14720700610649472