Corporate Governance: Featured Faculty Books: The Library: Stanford GSB

Interview with the authors, part 1

Interview with the authors, part 2

[photo - David Larcker] Larcker is James Irvin Miller Professor of Accounting at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Professor Larcker’s research focuses on executive compensation, corporate governance, and managerial accounting. His work examines the choice of performance measures and compensation contracts in organizations. He has current research projects on the valuation implications of corporate governance, role of the business press in the debate on executive compensation, and modeling the cost of executive stock options. more ...

[photo - Brian Tayan]

Brian Tayan is a researcher with the Corporate Governance Research Program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His work focuses primarily on corporate governance, although he has also written cases in the areas of financial accounting, human resource management, operations, and strategy. Previously, Brian has worked as a financial analyst in the Office of the CFO at Stanford University and as an investment associate at UBS Private Wealth Management in San Francisco. He received his MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and his BA from Princeton University. more ...

Faculty Books: Corporate Governance Matters

Corporate Governance Matters: A Closer Look at Organizational Choices and Their Consequences
by David F. Larcker and Brian Tayan
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2011

Read the first chapter

Corporate Governance Matters brings together comprehensive and objective information for directors and others seeking to improve corporate governance. Writing specifically for practitioners, the authors thoroughly examine the choices available in designing governance systems, explaining what is known about how these choices impact organizational performance.

The authors avoid ideological preconceptions and unsupported opinion, taking an empirical approach that relies on the available statistical and research evidence. Each chapter focuses on one governance feature, reviewing its potential benefits and costs. The authors present conclusions where the evidence supports them and candidly identify areas where broad conclusions cannot be drawn.

Corporate Governance Matters thoroughly addresses key issues ranging from strategic oversight to risk management, succession planning to compensation. Thoughtful and measured throughout, it will be an indispensable resource for directors, policymakers, institutional investors, and researchers alike.

Selected Reviews

From Professor Joseph A. Grundfest, Stanford Law School

“When it comes to corporate governance, it seems that everyone has an opinion. David Larcker and Brian Tayan, however, have the facts.”

From Professor Katherine Schipper, Duke University, and former member of the Financial Accounting Standards Board

“Corporate Governance Matters is a comprehensive, objective, and insightful analysis of academic and professional research on corporate governance.”

From Alan Crain, Jr., Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Baker Hughes

“An outstanding work of unique breadth and depth providing practical advice supported by detailed research.”