Corporate Governance Theory: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF STOCKHOLDER & STAKEHOLDER GOVERNANCE MODELS

What is the reason for the existence of a firm? Why can some firms generate competitive advantages based on social capital, and others cannot? What are the underlying reasons for the opportunistic behaviors that drive firms to bankruptcy as in the case of Lehman Brothers? These kinds of questions have a common answer: corporate governance. These kinds of questions are the starting point in my research about corporate governance phenomenon. In order to find the answers to these kinds of questions, I have read many articles and books related to corporate governance. The more I have read about this phenomenon the more I have realized that I have been dealing with a complex conundrum (i.e. corporate governance). In other words, I have realized that scholars approach corporate governance phenomenon from different perspectives. Thus, all of these scholars define different aspects of this conundrum. At that point, I have realized that I have to find the common points of these theories in order to constitute a coherent model on corporate governance theory. In order to find answers to these important questions, the book should be read very carefully from the beginning to the end in order to see the whole picture about corporate governance conundrum. The book is expected to shed some light about the reasons of company failures in the recent global financial crisis. Suleyman Gokhan Gunay, PhD