Greed and Corporate Failure: The Lessons from Recent Disasters [Hardcover]

This book is for anyone who wants to know what truly lies behind the scandals and disasters of global business which marred the first few years of the 21st century. It examines why companies fail, finding the reasons few, yet all too common. It also explores what the prudent investor, board member or manager should be alert to but often is not.Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Barings and Allied Irish Bank: Lessons Ignored Enron: Paper Profits, Cash Losses WorldCom: Disconnected Tyco: Greed, Hubris and the $6000 Shower Curtain Marconi: Establishment to Wunderkind to Basketcase Swissair: Crashed and Burned Royal Ahold: Shopped till he Dropped Parmalat: Milking the System Conclusions Epilogue List of Abbreviations Glossary Index

Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2006

'Stewart Hamilton and Alicia Micklethwait provide the most comprehensive view yet of the many corporate failures that occurred in the early twenty-first century. Written in clear and concise prose, Greed and Corporate Failure illuminates the root causes of the problems faced by corporations on both sides of the Atlantic. With candour, precise logic, and uncommon pragmatism, the authors give the reader a practical set of recommendations to prevent their recurrence. It is a 'must read' book!' - Bill George, Author of Authentic Leadership and former Chairman and CEO of Medtronic

'Anyone interested in value creation - whether management or investor - will find this analysis of failure deeply instructive. Sustained success comes from avoiding the causes of failure that Hamilton and Micklethwait identify.' - Donald H. Brydon, CBE, Chairman of AXA Investment Managers, Smiths Group plc and the London Metal Exchange

'Hamilton and Micklethwait take a cool and sceptical approach to the stories of Enron, Parmalat, Tyco, and other corporate disasters. This is the first time we have seen such a convincing yet fascinating explanation of what liesl£)