Corporate Governance Individual Assignment

Unit Details

Unit Code: BUSN3001

Unit Name: Corporate Governance

Total Weight: 40%

Instructions

Complete all four questions. Each question requires approximately 500 words, for a total of 2000 words (+/- 10%). Exceeding or falling short by more than 10% incurs penalties. Use APA 7th edition for referencing. Include at least 8 academic sources overall. Submit as a single Word document via Moodle by Week 12, Friday, 2 October 2026, 5:00 pm AEST. Late submissions deduct 5% per day. Plagiarism results in zero marks.

Task Description

This assignment assesses your understanding of key corporate governance issues in Australian listed companies. Draw on theories, empirical evidence, and best practices to analyze scenarios and provide recommendations.

1. Gender Diversity on Boards (500 words)
   As a corporate governance professional for an ASX-listed company, prepare a report analyzing evidence linking board gender diversity to improved business performance. Recommend steps to initiate a gender diversity policy.
2. Code of Ethics Adoption (500 words)
   As an independent consultant, write a report for shareholders highlighting benefits of adopting a Code of Ethics. Include examples from recent corporate governance failures demonstrating the need for such a code.
3. Transitioning SME Governance for IPO (500 words)
   Advise a venture capital fund on transitioning SME corporate governance practices for IPO readiness. Identify key practices to implement in investee companies.
4. CSR Disclosure and Governance (500 words)
   As an independent director, recommend implementations for international best practice in CSR disclosure and governance, responding to investor concerns.

Marking Criteria

• Depth of analysis and use of evidence (40%)
• Quality of recommendations (30%)
• Integration of theory and examples (20%)
• Structure, referencing, and writing (10%)

Boards with higher gender diversity often show better decision-making due to varied perspectives. Empirical studies link diversity to enhanced financial performance and innovation. Companies should set measurable targets for female representation. Training programs address unconscious bias in recruitment. Regular audits ensure policy effectiveness. Adopting quotas or voluntary goals aligns with ASX recommendations (Terjesen et al., 2019, https://doi.org/10.1111/corg.12288). Monitoring progress through annual reports builds transparency.

References

• Terjesen, S., Aguilera, R.V. and Lorenz, R., 2019. Legislating women’s seats on boards of directors: An interrupted time-series analysis of global trends. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 27(5), pp.331-347. https://doi.org/10.1111/corg.12288
• Adams, R.B. and Kirchmaier, T., 2021. From gender quotas to gender parity: Lessons from business and politics. Journal of Economic Surveys, 35(3), pp.745-770. https://doi.org/10.1111/joes.12422
• Post, C. and Byron, K., 2015. Women on boards and firm financial performance: A meta-analysis. Academy of Management Journal, 58(5), pp.1546-1571. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2013.0319
• Kakabadse, N.K., Tatli, A., Nicolopoulou, K., Tankibayeva, A. and Mouraviev, N., 2018. A gender perspective on entrepreneurial leadership: female leaders in Kazakhstan. European Management Review, 15(2), pp.155-170. https://doi.org/10.1111/emre.12125

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