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corporate-governance

/ˈkɔː.pər.ət ˈɡʌv.ən.əns/
IELTSAcademic
noun

The system of rules, practices, and people that control and direct a company. It covers how a company is run, how decisions are made, and how leaders are checked.

  • Good corporate governance builds trust with investors.
  • The board reviewed the company's corporate governance.

Adinary Nuance

Corporate governance is broader than management. Management runs daily work, but corporate governance sets oversight, rules, and accountability. It is also different from leadership, which focuses more on guiding people than checking company control.

In other languages

Vietnamese
quản trị công ty
Spanish
gobierno corporativo
Chinese
公司治理
Japanese
コーポレートガバナンス
Korean
기업 지배 구조

Etymology

The word combines corporate, from Latin corpus meaning “body,” and governance, from Old French gouvernance, meaning “rule” or “management.” It became common in business language in the late 20th century.

Common phrases

strong corporate governancecorporate governance standardscorporate governance practicescorporate governance rules

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

Is corporate governance the same as management?
No. Management handles daily operations, while corporate governance focuses on oversight and control.
Is corporate governance used in business writing?
Yes. It is very common in business, finance, and academic writing.
What does corporate governance include?
It includes the board, company rules, decision-making, and accountability systems.