Governance

Enterprise information technology governance plays a vital role in aligning IT with business processes, and this alignment is critical in creating value for stakeholders. Consequently, a holistic approach is in order. IT governance must be an integrated component -- not a siloed element -- of the enterprise’s overall governance framework.

“The debate over “short-termism” versus “long-termism” is raging in the corporate and investment world and is spilling over even into the 2016 Presidential campaigns. Ironically, the heat of the debate mirrors the confusion over what the debate is or should be about: Duration? Quarterly performance? Do quick gains inherently create less value than investing in big picture growth?

Not-for-profit entities may find themselves bogged down in a plethora of audit findings, constantly trying to play catch-up, but unable to move into an improved position. Are you overwhelmed by the prospect of keeping up with regulatory changes? If so, start with the Omni Circular. Mastering this guidance is one proactive step you can take that will yield measurable results.

In the automotive industry, GM was untouchable until just a few years ago. 2014 was a particularly low point for the company. Rocked by scandal stemming from the bungled management of a serious safety issue, the GM's new CEO was faced with salvaging the company's reputation. The culture was to blame, she said. Really? We think not.

Recent court cases might be signaling a new trend for how non-compete agreements are interpreted – one that looks at the sufficiency of the contract’s consideration, rather than its existence. Courts are now looking at the adequacy of promises within the contract to determine if employers’ offers in exchange for a signed agreement might be inadequate.

What subject is your organization's sacred cow? If there's a process or institution or piece of wisdom deemed immune from question or criticism, consider why. It may be the very thing that needs retooling or the ticket to your next great opportunity. In growth-oriented organizations, nothing can be above refinement.

2015 continues the trend of expensive and high-profile data breaches. Given both the business costs and the legal liability associated with data breaches, companies need to think twice about how they deal with employees who come forward to report cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Ignoring the issue and lashing out against the potential whistleblower will only compound the company’s problem.

Governance expert Paula Loop has worked with scores of CEOs over the years, and in her experience, many belong to one of two schools of thought when it comes to activist Board members. There are those that feel Board members experienced in the industry trump any activist and those that credit activists with keeping the organization competitive. Loop makes a...

What does the compliance function do to increase shareholder value? It's a question you've no doubt heard before, in some form or another. Tom Fox argues that no company with strong internal controls is run more poorly because of them. No -- in fact, stakeholders are necessarily better off when the company is kept on the right side of the...

Regulators can and do compel witnesses to provide information in the course of an investigation. And at times, regulatory agencies have used that evidence, obtained compulsatorily, to prosecute the very witnesses that coughed it up. Have these witnesses' right to silence have been violated? If a regulator calls, you'll want to know your rights!

In a follow-up to June's pieces on the Amarin complaint, Brian Dahl responds to the FDA's disregard for the decision in United States v. Caronia, in which the Second Court ruled that the FDA must limit its restrictions on truthful, non-misleading off-label promotion. The implications of truthful speech are better informed treatment options. Or isn't that what the FDA wants?

In June the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a ruling in the EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch stores case. The EEOC argued on behalf of an applicant who was denied a position on the grounds that her headscarf would violate the company's no headgear policy. Employers, take note: when company policy and religious accommodation needs meet, the latter trumps the...