The Human Side of Governance
Project Background:
Following IDA’s collaborative initiative that resulted in ‘Board Women ’, there was an identified need to further examine the psychosocial experience of women in the boardroom, and how this understanding could contribute to their effectiveness as Board Members. However, in developing that research project, the broader need to address the psychosocial dynamics of the Board Room, regardless of gender, became apparent. Consequently, the scope of this research has been widened to incorporate the more generic issue of ‘soft governance’ (the human side of Boards such as the social systems of working relationships, good deliberation, influence over decision making etc), while still honouring the initial focus of women in the Board Room.
Research Aims:
This study will seek to identify common patterns and themes that are important in understanding the psychosocial aspects of the boardroom. More specifically, in unpacking the ‘human side’ of the Board Room the dual aims of the research are to:
1) Contribute to the literature by mapping the psychosocial (soft governance) aspects of the boardroom that contribute to or inhibit effectiveness of Boards from various perspectives – for example, Board Member history (i.e., new to experienced, culture, gender etc), Board characteristics and settings (e.g., industries, sectors, company and board size, diversity, remuneration etc).
2) Develop a menu of strategies that can contribute to ‘soft governance’ effectiveness at various levels of the boardroom (e.g., individual Board members, Chair and Board as a collective entity).
Common Q and A’s:
Who participates in the study?
For the purposes of this study, N=60 Company Directors/Board Members will be recruited through various avenues in line with ‘snow ball’ sampling (i.e., networks and referrals from initial subjects), to participate in the study.
What would participation in this study involve?
If you decide to participate in this research project, your involvement would be to share your experience and knowledge as a Director/Board Member through an “in-depth interview” at a time and place that is convenient with you (the duration of the initial interview would be approximately 1 and a half hours).
Will there be the opportunity to gain feedback from the findings?
Yes, if you participate in the study you will be provided with the opportunity to receive a copy of your interview transcript as well as a summary of the result.
Is this study being conducted with ethics approval?
Yes. This study is being conducted with the approval of the IDA Ethics Committee. The Acting Chair of the Human Research Ethics Committee is Professor Alison Mackinnon. If you have any specific ethical concerns please contact the IDA Ethics Officer Anna Burchett on (08) 8295 6112.
If I participate, how will my confidentiality (i.e., identify) be protected?
With your permission, your in-depth interview will be taped via a digital recorder. Once recorded, the digital files will be transcribed. The person used to transcribe the files will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement form before commencing work and cannot discuss the contents of the tapes with anyone but the Research Team. Great care will be taken to ensure that no one will ever be able to identify you from the information that you give in the interview. The name and details will never be stored with your audio recording or transcript. Only first names will be used during the discussion and even then you can choose to use another name if you prefer. No real names or locations will be used in the final writing up of the research. You and the Research Team are the only people who will be able to link information from the interview to your personal details. It is also important to note that the information gained from In-depth Interviews will be reported as it relates to the general trends of the whole research project (i.e., so that individual participants will not be individually identified). The only exception to this will be when data such as a ‘gem’ quote or illustrative case study is found. In this case, the Research Team will seek your written permission to include it in the write up of results.
What will happen to the information that is obtained in the research project?
Information obtained from this study will be used to develop a menu of strategies for ‘soft governance’ effectiveness. It is hoped that the results will be published in various formats such as academic journals, conference presentations and possibly a book.
What do I do if I want to participate in the study?
If you are interested in participating, please contact the Research Administration Manager in the relevant country as outlined below:
America
Ms Lindsay Stewart
Phone: 1 (512) 472 1012 or e-mail lindsay@ida.org.au
Australia
Ms Anna Burchett
Phone (08) 8295 6112 or e-mail anna@ida.org.au
About the Research Team:
Chief Investigator:
Dr Pam Ryan is Managing Director of IDA and is research fellow of the University of South Australia’s Hawke Research Institute and a Research Associate of The Centre for Australian & New Zealand at the University of Texas at Austin.
Research Team Members:
Ms Virginia Hickey, a Director of @ the Board Table, is a corporate governance specialist, lawyer and company director with extensive commercial, government and not-for-profit experience. Committed to working with organisations to raise standards of governance and decision making with a particular interest in board performance, boardroom dynamics and ethics.
Dr Sarah Cotton is a psychologist who has worked in a variety of settings including: industry, ‘not-for-profit’ organizations, universities and private practice. With a PhD in the area of organisation psychology, Sarah is committed to high quality research and its applied practice. In addition, Sarah’s skill in both quantitative and qualitative methods (e.g., in-depth interviews, focus groups, reference groups) strengthens her research profile.
Ms Kelly Young is a consultant in her own company, Young Minds Consulting, which specializes in government and non-profit advocacy. She has twenty years experience in and around the legislative arena both serving as Director of the Texas Legislative Education Board, a governmental agency designed to provide program oversight and administer innovative public education grants, as well as Director of Education Policy for the Chairman of the House Education Committee. She has participated in many research projects aimed towards improving accountability in public schools, including conducting and producing an extensive 2-year analysis of correlations between spending and academic success. Her client list has included state governmental agencies, private associations and large non-profits.
** If you have any further questions about the study, please feel free to contact the Research Team at Issues Deliberation Australia/America on the numbers below
Issues Deliberation America Issues Deliberation Australia
TEXAS AUSTRALIA
1000 Rio Grande St. 5 College St. Glenelg
Austin, TX 78701 USA South Australia. 5045
Ph: 1 512 472 1012 Ph: 61 8 8295 6112
Fx: 1 512 477 0025 Fx: 61 8 8295 6113
