"Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) are unique economic and governance events as privately held firms issue common stock or shares to the public for the first time. The governance issues surrounding IPOs are relatively unexamined compared to more established, and usually larger, firms. As such, they provide a unique context to study corporate governance and its development around the world. Based on a collaborative international research project, this book analyses the corporate governance of IPOs in twenty-one countries, each of which is characterized by different governance environments and different levels of IPO activity. The end result is a broad and deep assessment of governance practices and IPO activity for an array of economies that represent roughly 80 percent of the global economy. These chapters collectively provide new insights into what a global theory of corporate governance might look like and offer guidance to policy makers and academics regarding national governance configurations"--

Twelve-year-old toy inventor Vincent Shadow faces two major obstacles, first when a sudden tragedy leaves the future of Whizzer Toys entirely in his hands, then when trouble-maker Timmy Zimmerman stumbles upon his secret laboratory.

From the invention of the wheel to the World Wide Web, this book lives up to its promise. In these pages you'll find everything you need to know (and more) about this fascinating subject. Offering a comprehensive overview of man's greatest achievements, this book covers all of the major breakthroughs in the worlds of science and technology. As well as the groundbreaking inventions, you'll also discover a few of the more quirky creations that have had a surprising impact on our day-to-day lives. Along the way you'll find out who first wore spectacles, when the first newspaper was printed, who took the first photograph, when the first phone call was made, who drove the first car, who sent the first email and when the first song was downloaded. Besides covering everything you need to know, this book is packed with visually stimulating and easy-to-remember illustrations, bar graphs, pie charts, timelines and diagrams. This book is also perfect for kids - including those of the adult variety - who are keen to learn all the important stuff they'll need to know in a way that they'll never forget.