Courses Master Display 2023-2024

Course Description To PDF
Course title Corporate Governance and Financial Stakeholders
Course code EBC4052
ECTS credits 6,5
Assessment Whole/Half Grades
Period
Period Start End Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri
1 4-9-2023 20-10-2023 X X
Level Advanced
Coordinator Stefanie Kleimeier
For more information: s.kleimeier@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Language of instruction English
Goals
Learn about the different types of financial stakeholders and their specific interests in the firm.
Understand the relationship between financial stakeholders, corporate governance and firm value.
Understand the need for corporate governance in today’s economies.

Description
The purpose of this course is to provide an understanding of corporate governance, i.e. how different corporate structures can lead to a better alignment of managers’ interests with those of financial stakeholders. In the first part of the course, the prerequisites needed for an in depths understanding of corporate governance are discussed. First, corporate governance will be motivated both from an agency perspective. Second, valuation will be discussed which is at the very heart of finance and is the core paradigm that we will use throughout our study of corporate governance. The basic evaluation techniques will be refreshed and reviewed. The second part of the course focuses on specific types of financial stakeholders and their impact on the governance of companies. The course explores the role of shareholders and pays attention to shareholder engagement. Regarding other financial stakeholders, this course explores project finance, privatization and financial distress as examples of corporate structures in which other financial stakeholders such as banks, bondholders or the government play an important role. Special attention will be paid to the role of stakeholders in companies that face financial distress due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Literature
Package of articles and cases.
Prerequisites
Courses and workload are very demanding for all IB Master courses. Exchange students need to have obtained a Bachelor degree in business. Exchange students need to major in finance in their Master. Students are expected to understand the following concepts: capital budgeting including NPV, IRR, the calculation of WACC, the definition and estimation of cost of debt and equity, CAPM. The basics of financial accounting are also a prerequisite. An advanced level of English is required.
Teaching methods (indicative; course manual is definitive) PBL / Presentation / Lecture / Assignment / Papers / Groupwork
Assessment methods (indicative; course manual is definitive) Final Paper / Attendance / Participation / Assignment / Presentation
Evaluation in previous academic year For the complete evaluation of this course please click "here"
This course belongs to the following programmes / specialisations
Master Business Research - No specialisation Year 1 Disc - IB Strategic Corporate Finance
Master Business Research - Operations Research Elective Course(s)
Master Fiscal Economics Economics Elective(s)
Master International Business - Strategic Corporate Finance Compulsory Course(s)
SBE Exchange Master Master Exchange Courses
SBE Non Degree Courses Master Courses