ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters. The part looks at the approaches of the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union to corporate conduct and governance that exist within a discrete political system at the same time as they are connected and interconnected through international markets, economic and political relationships. In the business sphere, effective governance is supported by and dependent on foundations and a framework set of conditions specific to the jurisdiction of incorporation. The corporate governance regimes in the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union exemplify the foundational differences that arise from taking different evolutionary paths towards the regulation of corporate conduct. Yet, consideration of the intended function and purposes of the different regimes reveals that, while there are obvious formal and institutional differences and more subtle but distinct customs and practices, there are also observable similarities.
