The Rise of Economic Societies in the Eighteenth Century : Patriotic Reform in Europe and North America

This collection of essays explores the emergence of economic societies in the British Isles and their development into a European, American and global reform movement in the eighteenth century. Its fourteen contributions demonstrate the intellectual horizons and international networks of this widespread and influential phenomenon.

Boards of directors and corporate social responsibility (CSR) have been the subject of much study and debate in corporate governance circles over the two last decades. With issues ranging from poor corporate reporting to excessive executive compensation often splashed in the headlines, the role of boards comes into media limelight as never before. Boards of directors are also becoming increasingly aware of CSR issues. Besides, many listed and unlisted companies have put in place governance, ethics or CSR committees that prepare and recommend corporate governance rules, policies and practices to management and supervise their implementation. However, integrating CSR into the business strategy in a global market context and under financial market pressure might not be an easy task. This volume is a rich collection of comprehensive studies presenting the most recent developments in the fields of board of directors and corporate social responsibility. It also provides the reader with new insights and perspectives on corporate governance practices in different countries.