Corporate Governance for Board Members and Directors in Public Services

Course overview

The board of directors form the backbone of the organization. Therefore, a weak board can steer the organization in the wrong direction. Corporate governance is the source platform of the efficiency of all other organizational functions. The lessons offered in this course give a simplified view of corporate governance matters in today’s competitive business environment. This program is equipped with highly-interactive activities and real world-scenario examples that enhance the participant’s interest and passion for the subject at a personal and corporate level. The course highlights the theoretical basis of corporate governance, deeply analyzing the analytical techniques that businesses, individuals, and corporate governance participants require. Parties holding corporate governance responsibilities will find the course a vital necessity. Participants with general management interest and those planning to undertake careers in corporate governance will also find the course content useful. 

TARGET AUDIENCE

• Corporate managers
• Participants who wish to pursue corporate governance as a career
• Entrepreneurs and business leaders/managers
• Directors and board members
• Financial institutions
• Consultancy firms
• Rating agencies
• Legal and compliance managers
• Policy-makers
• Stock exchanges and brokerage houses
• Others

Learning Objectives

After completion of this course, participants should be conversant with the following:

• Understand how to incorporate best practices in corporate governance.
• Understand the relationship between the board of directors and other organizational stakeholders.
• Understand how to balance the shareholder and stakeholder priorities.
• Become aware of the emerging issues in corporate governance.

Our Unique Training Methodology

Let me explain to you how this course is different from the thousands of other courses available on the internet.

• Pre-Assessment – Before beginning, a pre-assessment will be provided to assess the knowledge and skills of the participants.
• Lecture/Discussion – Lecture & discussion interactive session on the basics of human resource management to make participants more engage with the course.
• Guided Group Exercises – Dividing the class into small groups, an exercise, or a case study to work through.
• Hands-on Application – Providing participants with a hands-on application of the concepts they have learned.
• Post-Assessment – Question & answer session for solving all queries.

Training Medium

This Behavioral Interviewing training is designed in a way that it can be delivered face-to-face and virtually.

Course Duration

The training can be in the form of a full-fledged 40-hour program or a 15-hour crash course covering 5-hour content per day within 3 days.

Pre-course Assessment

• Planning your introduction – the brief will be shared with participants via mail
• Reading Reviewing the course outline training modules and sharing any rising amendments no more than 48 hours’ prior
• Questionnaire answers will remain confidential and used only for purposes of understanding the participant’s expectation in this class. 

Course Modules

Module 1. Introduction 

• Introduction exercise: What is likely to happen to a company without proper corporate governance? 
• The evolution of corporate governance
• Overview of corporate governance
• The significance of corporate governance to the organization
• The significance of corporate governance to other stakeholders
• What is the difference between a director and manager
• Categories of directors

Module 2. Introduction to the Theories of Corporate Governance

• Introduction exercise: Participants to discuss the conflicts that exist between the board of directors and managers.
• The stewardship theory of corporate governance
• Agency theory
• Transactional cost theory
• Resource dependency theory
• Stakeholder theory
• Political theory
• Oral peer-discussion question: Define any major challenge(s) to efficient corporate governance and how you would mitigate against it/them?

Module 3. Board of Directors

• Introduction exercise: Oral peer-discussion and response on what constitutes board responsibilities.
• Functions of the board of directors
• The duties and responsibilities of the board of directors 
• Board structure and independence
• Selection and remuneration of the board members
• The different categories of boards
• What is a board committee
• Live peer-discussion question: Participants should use any two public companies of their choice and identify the type of boards they have.

Module 4. The Strategic Function of the Board in a Competitive Business Environment 

• Introduction exercise: Oral discussion-participants to list any features of strategic management known to them.
• Establishing organizational goals and objectives
• Amending and approving management recommendations
• The issue of expert outsourcing and advice
• Strategic planning under special-case scenarios (mergers & acquisitions)
• Food for thought: How would you ensure that the board of directors avoid duplicating managerial functions in the organization?

Module 5. Major Issues in Corporate Governance

• Introduction 
• The contemporary environment: From shareholder to stakeholder wealth management
• Influence of shareholder activism on board functions
• Political interference in board independence
• Balancing risk and opportunity
• Communication between the board and company CEO
• The relationship between the board and internal audit
• Closing exercise: Participants to prepare personal narrations of how they would deal with political interference as a new board member where the company had a previous culture of submitting to political pressure.

Module 6. Characteristics of an Efficient Board under a Competitive Environment

• Introduction
• Commitment to excellence
• Ability to manage risks
• Continuous review of management
• Intensive industry knowledge
• Leadership and communication skills
• Food for thought: Do you think board members should be allowed to have shares in the company?

Module 7. Emerging Issues in Corporate Governance

• Introduction exercise: Peer discussion on what participants think about the current framework of internal audit. 
• Incorporating social media in corporate governance
• Artificial intelligence and corporate governance
• Sustainable corporate governance
• Corporate governance in the multinational business domain
• The issue of diversity and inclusion
• Shareholder activism

Lessons Learned

“We should not be mere consumers of good governance. We must be participants and co-creators,” Rohini Nilekani.

If you think deeply, you will realize everything you enjoy in life comes as a result of good governance. The oxygen of organizations is good governance. Completing this course should enable you to realize that corporate governance runs all corporate dealings. By now, you should have learned the meaning of the terms “board independence” and “agency problem”, how to design a corporate governance structure, and decided how you want to apply your corporate governance knowledge. As a brand of this esteemed course, you are sufficiently-equipped to conquer corporate governance issues.