Advances in Financial Economics, volume 18, will present research on corporate governance both in the US and globally. Papers will deal with the role played by boards of directors, internal organization design and governance mechanisms, franchise agreements, the effect of regulation and policy, the market for corporate control, and strategic alliances. The volume will aim at providing a deeper understanding of corporate governance practices, trends, innovations and challenges using international data.

Volume 17 of Advances in Financial Economics, entitled "Corporate Governance in the US and Global Settings" will provide further insights into corporate governance in the US & global economic and financial environment by publishing international, within-country and cross-country comparative studies. The volume will be edited by the series editors, Kose John, New York University, Anil Makhija, Ohio State University, and Stephen P. Ferris, University of Missouri.

Advances in Financial Economics volume 20 deals with International Corporate Governance, particularly the role played by boards of directors, internal organization design and governance mechanisms, franchise agreements, the effect of regulation and policy, the market for corporate control, and strategic alliances.

Advances in Financial Economics Volume 19 deals with International Corporate Governance, particularly the role played by boards of directors, internal organization design and governance mechanisms, franchise agreements, the effect of regulation and policy, the market for corporate control, and strategic alliances.

This volume contains a set of empirical papers by a set of global scholars who examine corporate governance and market regulation from a variety of perspectives. Jiang, Kim and Zhang argue that in certain cases an ex post increase in CEO pay can prevent the ex ante problem of managerial underinvestment and thereby help to reduce the agency problems characteristic of modern firms. Akyol and Cohen focus on firms' use of executive search firms versus allowing internal members to nominate new directors to serve on the board of directors. Choi, Ferris, Jayaraman and Sabherwal examine 361 CEO terminations occurring among the Fortune Global 500 firms during the years 2000 to 2006. Cashman, Gillan and Whitby investigate the labor market for corporate directors to better understand which director attributes are relevant for board selection. Baulkaran, Amoako-Adu and Smith analyze the link between the valuation discount of dual class companies and the channels through which private benefits can be extracted. Aggarwal examines ETFs and notes that the additional risks, complexity, and reduced transparency of these funds have attracted heightened attention by regulators.

This volume contains eight empirical papers that examine corporate governance from a number of different perspectives. Howe et al investigate how governance can influence short- and long-term performance in the case of Special Purpose Acquisition Companies; Javakhadze et al analyze limits to convergence in international corporate governance practices; Barak and Lauterbach focus on the private benefits of control; and Dong examines the relation between the discipline of options and corporate debt and the design of executive compensation. Jiang et al measure the effect of R&D expenditures on bondholders; Gondhalekar et al examine the capital market response to financial restatements; Al-Khouri reports robust evidence that privately owned banks are more risky than government-owned banks; and Luo and Jackson conclude that the positive relationship between tunneling and executive compensation implies personal benefits for controlling shareholders at the expense of minority shareholders.

Empirical Research in Banking and Corporate Finance is the 21st volume of Advances in Financial Economics and deals with International Corporate Governance. Explored in detail are the role of corporate cultures, social responsibility, stock liquidity, securitization, leveraged buyouts and the cost of private debt.