The recent financial crisis has stimulated much debate on the governance of financial institutions, as well as research on the effects of governance arrangements on risk-taking, performance and financial institutions more generally. Furthermore, researchers are asking how regulation, legislation, politics and other factors influence the governance of financial institutions and their behavior in different dimensions. The specially commissioned contributions featured in this timely Handbook confront these complex issues. The contributors - top international scholars from finance, law and business - explore the role of governance, both internal and external, in explaining risk-taking and other aspects of the behavior of financial institutions. Additionally, they discuss market and policy features affecting objectives and quality of governance. The chapters provide in-depth analysis of factors such as: ownership, efficiency and stability; market discipline; compensation and performance; social responsibility; and governance in non-bank financial institutions. Only through this kind of rigorous examination can one hope to implement the financial reforms necessary and sufficient to reduce the likelihood and severity of future crises. Bringing the reader to the frontier of research on governance of financial institutions, this volume is sure to inspire future research in scholars and students of financial institutions, governance and banking. Practitioners in financial institutions and public regulatory and supervisory authorities will also find much of value and insight in this book. Contributors: E. Arbak, F. Arnaboldi, R. Ayadi, J.R. Barth, T. Berglund, A.W.A. Boot, D. Brash, B. Casu, Y. Chang, H. Choe, W.P. De Groen, J.K. Dietrich, W. Dolde, R. Galema, S. Gangopadhyay, C. Girardone, P.A. Gompers, Y. Gong, C.A.E. Goodhart, B.E. Gup, J. Hagendorff, I. Hasan, R.J. Herring, A.G.F. Hoepner, J. Houston, J. Itzkowitz, J.D. Knopf, S. Koibuchi, R.M. Lastra, B. Lee, R. Lensink, L. Li, C. Lin, Y. Ma, P. MacKay, M. Marinc, D.G. Mayes, R. Mersland, R. Mohan, P. Molyneux, A. Mullineux, A. Naranjo, A.A. Palvia, A.P. Prabha, H.L. Root, W. Sawangngoenyuang, S.K. Shanthi, C.-H. Shen, F.M. Song, L. Song, K.R. Spong, T. Subhanij, R.J. Sullivan, F. Vallascas, P.J. Wallison, I. Walter, L.J. White, C. Wihlborg, T.D. Willett, J.O.S. Wilson, Y. Xuan, Z. Zhou

Macroeconomic turbulence and volatility in financial markets can fatally affect firm's performance. Very few firms make serious attempts to inform market participants and other outsider stakeholders about the impact of macroeconomic fluctuations--manifested as changes in exchange rates, interest rates, inflation rates and stock market returns-- on performance. These stakeholders, as well as financial analysts, must make their own assessments but they generally lack both the required tools and the information to do so. Worse, top management in most firms do not themselves possess the tools to identify whether a change in performance represents a change in the firm's intrinsic competitiveness or a reflection of macroeconomic conditions outside their influence.
Corporate Decision-Making with Macroeconomic Uncertainty: Performance and Risk Management develops and presents in an easily comprehensible way the essential elements of a corporate strategy for managing uncertainty in the macroeconomic environment. This Macroeconomic Uncertainty Strategy, or MUST, enhances firm value by allowing management and external stakeholders to become better informed about the development of corporate competitiveness in a turbulent macroeconomic environment. The MUST also provides guidelines for how to develop a successful risk management program.
This research based book includes methods to identify the impact of macroeconomic fluctuations on cash flows and value, to develop strategies for macroeconomic risk management, to provide informative reports to external stakeholders, to evaluate the relative performance of subsidiaries and business units in multinational companies, and to evaluateperformance for purposes of setting executive compensation and of fulfilling the due diligence requirements in an M & A context. The authors' use of value-based management, various performance measurements, the concept of real options, and risk management from the perspective of shareholder wealth maximization, makes the book rich and compelling. They address researchers and students in the field of international business, finance and corporate governance. On the business side, executives with strategic responsibilities, chief financial officers, and bankers who analyze corporate performance and give advice on risk management will benefit from reading this book.

The recent financial crisis has stimulated much debate on the governance of financial institutions, as well as research on the effects of governance arrangements on risk-taking, performance and financial institutions more generally. Furthermore, researchers are asking how regulation, legislation, politics and other factors influence the governance of financial institutions and their behavior in different dimensions. The specially commissioned contributions featured in this timely Handbook confront these complex issues. The contributors - top international scholars from finance, law and business - explore the role of governance, both internal and external, in explaining risk-taking and other aspects of the behavior of financial institutions. Additionally, they discuss market and policy features affecting objectives and quality of governance. The chapters provide in-depth analysis of factors such as: ownership, efficiency and stability; market discipline; compensation and performance; social responsibility; and governance in non-bank financial institutions. Only through this kind of rigorous examination can one hope to implement the financial reforms necessary and sufficient to reduce the likelihood and severity of future crises. Bringing the reader to the frontier of research on governance of financial institutions, this volume is sure to inspire future research in scholars and students of financial institutions, governance and banking. Practitioners in financial institutions and public regulatory and supervisory authorities will also find much of value and insight in this book. Contributors: E. Arbak, F. Arnaboldi, R. Ayadi, J.R. Barth, T. Berglund, A.W.A. Boot, D. Brash, B. Casu, Y. Chang, H. Choe, W.P. De Groen, J.K. Dietrich, W. Dolde, R. Galema, S. Gangopadhyay, C. Girardone, P.A. Gompers, Y. Gong, C.A.E. Goodhart, B.E. Gup, J. Hagendorff, I. Hasan, R.J. Herring, A.G.F. Hoepner, J. Houston, J. Itzkowitz, J.D. Knopf, S. Koibuchi, R.M. Lastra, B. Lee, R. Lensink, L. Li, C. Lin, Y. Ma, P. MacKay, M. Marinc, D.G. Mayes, R. Mersland, R. Mohan, P. Molyneux, A. Mullineux, A. Naranjo, A.A. Palvia, A.P. Prabha, H.L. Root, W. Sawangngoenyuang, S.K. Shanthi, C.-H. Shen, F.M. Song, L. Song, K.R. Spong, T. Subhanij, R.J. Sullivan, F. Vallascas, P.J. Wallison, I. Walter, L.J. White, C. Wihlborg, T.D. Willett, J.O.S. Wilson, Y. Xuan, Z. Zhou