Leadership and Governeance
Introduction | Concepts | Exercises | Resolution | Case | Discussion
Exercises

Part 3

Suppose the Executive Committee succeeds in "promoting" Liz to Chairperson of the Board of Directors. What would that new position involve and what might be the ramifications of the Committee's decision? The exercises below will help you answer these questions.

1. As Chair of the Board, Liz will have to guide the Board in overseeing strategic planning for CanGo, and also in ensuring that CanGo's management operates in the best interest of the stockholders. What actions might Liz take to ensure that management's actions are always aligned with the interests of the stockholders?
 
 
2. A second task of the Chair is to lead the Board in a discussion of CanGo's key stakeholders and their responsibilities to those stakeholders. What are the steps Liz needs to take in discerning stakeholders' interests?
 
 
3. Read the working notes of Board member number 2. Describe this member's concern in the context of agency theory. Is Board member number 2 acting in the best interests of the stockholders?

Private and Confidential
For Board Members Only

As you know, ever since I was elected to the Executive Committee of CanGo, I have had my doubts about Liz's ability to act as the CEO of a major dot-com company. I felt that my election to the Committee was indicative of the stockholders' desire to take CanGo to the next level and make it a real player in the e-commerce market.

As we all know, CanGo's stock price has been quite disappointing. Liz has managed to grow the company through an acquisition and a joint venture. However, she really hasn't made the types of strides that I expected when I first came on the Committee. Online games have failed to produce any real revenues, and the problems associated with the holiday rush have produced a lackluster financial performance.

I believe we all agree that we are having some real leadership problems. We have also been thinking about Liz's performance since the IPO and are seriously considering whether she is the CEO for a public company. Although some of the committee members acknowledge Liz as the moving force behind CanGo, we must remember our responsibility to the stockholders.

I believe we agree that making Liz the Chairperson of the Board will allow her to step back from operations and assist us in strategic planning.

 

 
 
 

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