title: Corporate boards: the new corporate leaders

authors: Mueller, Jens

subjects: shareholders

abstract: The historic view that corporate leaders serving on company boards are merely the legal stewards of shareholders is no longer the best explanation for the role of directors. This stakeholder theory is too simplistic to explain the many differing and sometimes competing interests of inside and outside directors of corporations. Based on large-scale research, we conclude that company directors' roles have become more complex and require a sophisticated skill level to perform well. We find in longitudinal research from 2006-2008 that investors are looking for boards with a diverse set of talents and we speculate that leadership talent is a key ingredient for board success. Stakeholder theory of audit and oversight appears to have been replaced by the "Commitment Theory" where directors affiliate with firms for some intangible greater good of "wishing to contribute". This might indicate a closer and more deeply rooted connection with the outcomes and ideals of firms, and we explore the foundations for this commitment. We also identify a set of leadership skills which are likely to be required from company board directors, in order to convert their enthusiastic commitment into practical relevance. We conclude that committed board directors are essential to establishing good leadership in companies.

text: Corporate boards: the new corporate leaders The historic view that corporate leaders serving on company boards are merely the legal stewards of shareholders is no longer the best explanation for the role of directors. This stakeholder theory is too simplistic to explain the many differing and sometimes competing interests of inside and outside directors of corporations. Based on large-scale research, we conclude that company directors' roles have become more complex and require a sophisticated skill level to perform well. We find in longitudinal research from 2006-2008 that investors are looking for boards with a diverse set of talents and we speculate that leadership talent is a key ingredient for board success. Stakeholder theory of audit and oversight appears to have been replaced by the "Commitment Theory" where directors affiliate with firms for some intangible greater good of "wishing to contribute". This might indicate a closer and more deeply rooted connection with the outcomes and ideals of firms, and we explore the foundations for this commitment. We also identify a set of leadership skills which are likely to be required from company board directors, in order to convert their enthusiastic commitment into practical relevance. We conclude that committed board directors are essential to establishing good leadership in companies.

year: 2009-01

title: Biotechnology's wheel of knowledge

authors: Buntting, Catherine Michelle

abstract: Article with results of study carried out to raise awareness of the role of biotechnology in the New Zealand curriculum. The findings highlighted that biotechnology learning needs to be situated in real life contexts that are relevant to the leaner.

text: Biotechnology's wheel of knowledge Article with results of study carried out to raise awareness of the role of biotechnology in the New Zealand curriculum. The findings highlighted that biotechnology learning needs to be situated in real life contexts that are relevant to the leaner.

year: 2006

title: Culture – the foundation of Maori Governance

authors: Toki, Valmaine

abstract: The structure of a governance system specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants dictating the mutually agreed rules and procedures for making decisions on business affairs. For Maori, an indigenous people, the unique and pivotal factor that provides the point of difference, for governance, is the importance of their culture. Notwithstanding this point of difference, there exists a paucity of governance structures that adequately cater and provide for culture.

text: Culture – the foundation of Maori Governance The structure of a governance system specifies the distribution of rights and responsibilities among different participants dictating the mutually agreed rules and procedures for making decisions on business affairs. For Maori, an indigenous people, the unique and pivotal factor that provides the point of difference, for governance, is the importance of their culture. Notwithstanding this point of difference, there exists a paucity of governance structures that adequately cater and provide for culture.

year: 2013