The Role of Corporate Governance in Transition Countries

Corporate governance has come to the forefront of academic research due to the vital role it plays in the overall health of economic systems. The wave of U.S. corporate fraud in the 1990s was attributed to deficiencies in corporate governance. The recent 2008-2009 global financial crisis, triggered by the unprecedented failure of Lehman Brothers and the subprime mortgage problems, renewed interest in the role corporate governance plays in the financial sector. The development of a strong corporate governance framework is important to protect stakeholders, maintain investor confidence in the transition countries and attract foreign direct investment. This paper looks at the role of corporate governance in European transition countries in their transformation to a market economy. The paper compares the different levels of corporate governance established among the transition countries. Keywords – corporate governance, transition countries, emerging economies, legal heritage and transitional reforms, market transition