Corporate governance is a subject that suffers from considerable rhetoric. In writing this book, we have attempted to clarify several ideas and theories. Rather than writing a book based on opinions, we use the knowledge contained in the vast body of professional and academic research to guide our discussion and justify our conclusions. This approach does not always lead to straightforward recommendations, but it has the advantage of being based on factual evidence and empirical studies. As you will see, not all governance issues have been rigorously empirically studied, and not all issues lend themselves to a simple solution. There are gaps in our knowledge that will need to be filled by further study. Nonetheless, we hope that this book will provide a framework for practitioners to make sound decisions, informed by extensive research.