Many events that have marked the last few years – from the Arab Spring revolutions to the different collapses in the financial markets in the western world and the Euro Debt Crisis in Europe – all share the common issue of “Governance”. The various different types of media, especially social media, have contributed to the rapid spread of awareness of governance issues, and have enabled unprecedented numbers of people to manifest their fury about the lack of governance in the management of not only firm and markets, but also whole countries and regions. Governance crises were previously known mainly in the corporate world, where scandals such as Enron and News International have captured the attention of the media and have been a major subject of discussion. Such crises have recently been transferred to entire nations, where citizens have the right to make things change for the best and have the last say. People are currently concerned with the establishment of accountability mechanisms that were previously absent, as well as with real governance reforms that will lead to democracy.

This book focuses upon governance and on the importance of accountability, and how it varies from one environment to another. Also of concern here is the effective practice of governance in the shadow of the turmoil and unrest, taking into consideration the specificities of each and every culture. In adopting such a focus, a number of theoretical perspectives are explored, along with issues associated with various environments in order to develop an understanding of the relationship between governance and sustainable development. The book will appeal to academic researchers in the areas of governance, sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, as well as those interested in strategic management more generally. It will be of interest to research students, as well as more experienced academics, worldwide, and may also serve as a secondary text for courses in these areas.