Pocket Director

The role of directors is being taken ever more seriously as attention has focused on the way companies are governed. A directorship is no longer a sinecure. Today, directors are expected to perform and they are exposed to increasing litigation and regulation. Yet few directors are trained for this role, which is quite different from management. Managers may run the a company but it is the directors' job to ensure that it is being well run and run in the right direction.

Pocket Director is a clear and lively guide to the subject of corporate governance. It is aimed at directors, managers and shareholders of every kind of business, and contains

• Concise essays on directors' roles, directors' duties and responsibilities, board structure, board styles, the corporate governance debate and conflicts facing directors
• An A-Z of key terms and concepts from accountability to Zaibatsu
• Wide ranging appendices including checklists, guidelines, and sources of information

• Part 1: Essays
• What Do Directors Do?
• Board Structures Around the World
• Making a Board Effective
• Directors' Legal Duties and Responsibilities
• The Corporate Governance Debate
• Issues Facing Directors
• Part 2: A-Z
• Part 3: Appendices
1. An Induction Checklist for Directors
2. Director Core Competencies: the MTRC Case Study
3. A Board Effectiveness Checklist
4. Principles of Good Governance and Code of Best Practice
5. Board Guidelines on Significant Corporate Governance Issues: the General Motors Case
6. Audit Committee Proforma Charter
7. Sources of Information for Directors Around the World
8. Recommended Reading

A bit too British from time to time, but you could reference it often, as it is a treasure trove, despite its small format.