Epoka University

FACULTY OF ECONOMICS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
COURSE SYLLABUS

2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR

COURSE INFORMATION

Course Title: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE : THEORY AND PRACTICE

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
BUS 210	C	4	3	0	0	3	5

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	Dr. Fisnik Shtini fshtini@epoka.edu.al
*Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)* and Office Hours:**	Dr. Fisnik Shtini fshtini@epoka.edu.al , 14:40-17:30
*Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)* and Office Hours:**	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Elective
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Bachelor in Business Administration (3 years)
Classroom and Meeting Time:	E211
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:
Course Description:	Corporate governance is a subject that apprehends the distribution of power and the interactions between the stakeholders of the corporation defined as a legal entity distinct from that of the owners. Corporate governance discusses themes such as the responsibility of the owners, the managers, the board or directors etc, executive compensation, internal control, disclosure of corporate information etc. This course adopts a comparative perspective between different corporate governance systems and ventures into some international comparisons that shed light on alternative ownership structures (family businesses, widely held corporations, private equity etc). This will take us to the study of corporate legal frameworks and finally to the topic of corporate and social responsibility
Course Objectives:	This course sets out to analyze the purpose and the limits of corporate governance and provides an overview of generic corporate governance systems in the business world. It presents a comprehensive view of the subject so as to help students understand the nature of the interactions between the stakeholders. It aims also at making understandable how important corporate governance in today's business world is. It addresses important issues such as responsibility, remuneration, disclosure of information etc. This course also aims to showcase the plurality of corporate governance philosophies ranging from the pure profit and shareholder wealth maximization objectives to ethical concerns such as embeddedness of the corporation in the community and corporate social responsability.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Corporate governance principles
2	Values, rules, best practices for good governance
3	Balance between stakeholders' competing interests
4	Theories of corporate governance
5	Corporate governance in different countries

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Definition of Corporate Governance This module offers a comprehensive definition of corporate governance Textbook, chapter 1
2	Stakeholders and their Effect on Business This module offers a comprehensive overview of stakeholders and their effect on business Textbook, chapter 2
3	Legal Principles of Corporate Governance This module offers to tackle corporate governance trough the lenses of the business legal discipline Textook, chapter 3
4	Perspective and Important Issues in Corporate Governance Textbook, chapter 4
5	Good Governance: Meaning and Concept Textbook, chapter 5
6	Governance Linked with Competition
7	Governance and ownership structures Textbook, chapter 6
8	Executive compensation : mechanisms and principles Textbook, chapter 7
9	Corporate Governance Information Disclosure Textbook, chapter 8
10	The Role of Agency Theory in Corporate Governance Reading : selected press articles
11	Corporate Governance in anglo-saxon countries
12	Corporate governance in continental Europe
13	Corporate governance in Albania : background and recent trends
14	Presentations

Prerequisite(s):
Textbook(s):	Corporate Governance 4th edition: Principles, Policies, and Practices (2021), by Bob Tricker. du Plessis et al. 2011: Principles of Contemporary Corporate Governance, Second edition. Cambridge University Press.
Additional Literature:
Laboratory Work:
Computer Usage:
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	Understand what corporate governance and the main related issues
2	Discuss the development of corporate governance systems
3	Adopt a comparative perspective in corporate governance
4	Pinpoint the role of ethics and responsibility in the field of corporate governance
5	Understand the importance of corporate governance in today's business world

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES
(Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Bachelor in Business Administration (3 years) Program
1	Identify activities, tasks, and skills in management, marketing, accounting, finance, and economics.	3
2	Apply key theories to practical problems within the global business context.	5
3	Demonstrate ethical, social, and legal responsibilities in organizations.	5
4	Develop an open minded-attitude through continuous learning and team-work.	4
5	Use technology to enable business growth and sustainability.	2
6	Analyze data to make effective decisions.	1

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	40
Final Exam	1	50
Attendance		10
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	14	2	28
Mid-terms	1	16	16
Assignments	7	2	14
Final examination	1	19	19
Other			0
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			5

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

Corporate Governance is a new elective course offered by Epoka University intended for Bachelor students in Business Administration willing to acquire new analytical, organisational and strategic skills in order to understand the evolution of business systems, philosophies and practices.