Developing Codes of Conduct: Regulatory Conversations as Means for Detecting Institutional Change
Author
Summary, in English
The introduction of a new corporate governance code in Sweden, modeled after prevailing Anglo-Saxon norms of corporate governance, offers the opportunity to investigate global regulatory convergence. Using the metaphor of regulatory space, this article analyzes the positions of the parties who submitted formal responses to the introduction of "The Swedish Code of Corporate Governance-A Proposal from the Code Group." While the globalization of financial markets might forecast unconditional acceptance of the proposed code by business and financial interests, the analysis of who made comments, and what was said, reveals three categorically distinct groups: Swedish business "insiders" connected to the existing institutional framework who opposed changes that would erode traditional division of functions, including collective responsibility for the actions of company boards; "outsiders" (i.e., foreign investors and more marginal Swedish investors) aligned with Anglo-Saxon internationalization of the markets who would change the system of corporate accountability; and the professions (i.e., auditors), who advocated for their professional interests. Of the three groups, Swedish business insiders were most successful in gaining support for their positions. Although international financial and political interests were key to the introduction of the Code in the first place, the article demonstrates how the dynamics of national (local) culture and power structures influence the transfer of regulatory law across jurisdictions.
Department/s
Publishing year
2007
Language
English
Pages
460-492
Publication/Series
Law & Policy
Volume
29
Issue
4
Document type
Journal article
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Topic
- Business Administration
Keywords
- corporate governance
- code of conduct
- regulatory conversations
- regulatory space
- Sweden
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Other
- ISSN: 0265-8240