Corporate Governance Meets Data and Technology

Corporate governance encompasses a set of processes, customs, policies, laws, and institutions that affect how a corporation is directed, administered, or controlled. Technology both enhances and disrupts the traditional board-centric corporate governance system, enhancing efficiency and transparency while introducing new challenges and risks. In this paper we examine three key themes comprehensively: the redefinition of information and information asymmetry through the generation of and access to big data; blockchain technology’s transformative potential for aggregating preferences and exercising shareholder voting rights while blurring the line between securities and tokens; and the impact of smart contracts and their underlying infrastructure on the expansion of contracts and the implementation of decentralized governance through decentralized autonomous organizations. These innovative technological solutions empower stakeholders to exercise governance rights effectively, but their complexity also gives rise to new barriers and inequalities. As technology evolves, collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and practitioners is imperative to ensure that corporate governance remains effective and responsive to the current dynamic business environment.