Behavioral Corporate Governance in Practice New Models for Leadership and Oversight

1. Introduction: Oversight Under Pressure  2. Oversight in the Boardroom: The Human Side  3. How Ownership Shapes Structures and Culture  4. Information and Decision-Making: Keys to an Accountable Board  5. Strategy, Purpose, Risk-Management: Three Sides of One Coin  6. Moral Leadership and the Balanced Board

Biography

Jan Stolker serves as Director of Leadership and Governance at the Erasmus School of Economics/EURAC, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and is founder of the Erasmus Governance Institute. He advises boards and lectures internationally on governance, strategy and risk.

“For our shared prosperity, corporate social responsibility and good governance are indispensable. This calls for a constructive yet critical dialogue between supervisors and executives—growing together with an eye for new opportunities. This book compellingly demonstrates how that can be done, and how it can be done better.”

Prof. Dr. K. (Kim) Putters, Chair of the Social and Economic Council of the Netherlands and Professor of Broad Prosperity, Tilburg University, The Netherlands

“Supervision is people’s work. Rules, codes, and compliance are, of course, essential. But insight into the organization you oversee—its psychological processes, performance, integrity, and culture—is at least as important. That applies to every organization, in every sector, large or small. How do you achieve that? Fortunately, people can learn, and behavioral governance is finally receiving the attention it deserves.”

M.J.A. (Maria) van der Hoeven, Non-Executive Director and former Minister of Education and Minister of Economic Affairs, The Netherlands 

“Many non-executive directors ask how they—external and often distant—can overcome their information disadvantage and truly understand what is happening within the organizations they supervise. Jan Stolker’s book provides answers by sharing practice-tested tools and interventions that offer insight into the behavior, performance, and dilemmas of organizations.”

Prof. Patrick Reinmoeller, Professor of Strategy and Innovation, IMD Business School, Switzerland

“A must-read for all non-executive directors—and for executives as well. Rich in best practices and real-world case studies.”

Dr. F.J.G.M. (Frans) Cremers, Non-Executive Director at publicly listed companies; former CFO, VNU N.V. and Shell Group

“Corporate governance is too often reduced to rules and compliance. This book shows how non-executives can fulfil their role more effectively by understanding behavioral dynamics in the boardroom, avoiding common pitfalls, and applying a distinctive model of empathic-strategic leadership.”

Prof. Winfried Ruigrok, Emeritus Professor of International Management and former Dean of the Executive School of Management, Technology, and Law at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland

“Everything you wanted to know about boardrooms—or, put differently, this book answers all your questions about boardroom dynamics, including the ones you didn’t know you had or didn’t dare to ask.”

Prof. Dr. G.W. (Goos) Minderman, Non-Executive Director in civil-society organizations, Associate Professor at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and Visiting Professor at the Erasmus Governance Institute, The Netherlands

“At last, serious attention to what social transitions mean for management and supervision in companies. With solid grounding, vivid examples, and years of experience, Jan Stolker demonstrates how fundamental the shift in thinking and working must be—from managing risks to embracing societal goals and guiding one’s own internal transition.”

Prof. Dr. D.A. (Derk) Loorbach, Professor of Socio-Economic Transition Science, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands

“Inclusive and moral leadership, combined with strategic insight, is indispensable for today’s executive and non-executive directors. This book explains why.”

Prof. Dr. A.L. (Annelien) Bredenoord, Rector Magnificus, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Non-Executive Director, The Netherlands

“This book is essential reading for every non-executive board member. Jan Stolker has succeeded in presenting the many challenges they face, illustrated by a diverse range of international case studies. This makes the book not only informative but also a pleasure to read.”

Martin Hoogendoorn, Emeritus Professor in Financial Accounting at the Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands