INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: HOW BEHAVIOUR TRUMPS RATIONALITY

ABOUT THIS BOOK

The largest private airline in India went bankrupt, as did the bank that could not say no to its
borrowers who defaulted on huge loans. Could these disasters have been foreseen, if not averted?
Would it have helped if the directors on the board had spoken up before the corporate failure?
Inside the Boardroom explores the downfall of these companies and many more in the light of
directors’ behaviour and its impact on corporate governance. R. Gopalakrishnan and Tulsi Jayakumar
believe that corporate success goes beyond having significant knowledge of accounting rules and
governance regulations. They boldly assert that directors’ behaviour in the boardroom is less rational
than may be widely believed! Being human, directors’ decisions are naturally subjective and prone
to behavioural bias, especially when confronted with manifestations of power, passion and authority
in the boardroom, or even a secret desire to be accepted by others. Hence, successful directors
and boards need to be deep observers of human behaviour and boardroom dynamics because
behavioural and cultural nuances are significant aspects in most incidents of mismanagement leading
to governance failure.
Lucidly described with a plethora of real events and insightful instances, Inside the Boardroom
showcases the authors’ experience with governance and boardroom behaviour. It brings to light
misbehaviours in the boardroom, early warning signs of failing governance in companies and some
magical mantras for CEOs and independent directors to prevent failures.