VU Knowledge Hub for Boards and Executive Leadership Development

While CEOs are often portrayed as the solo-leaders of firms, there is an increased awareness that corporate strategic decisions are the result of intensive deliberation and communication between numerous actors within boards and their stakeholders. Recent corporate scandals, however, have shown that as a society we know little about what happens in boardrooms, or how various stakeholders can influence the decision-making direction of boards including executive and non-executive committees.

The VU Knowledge Hub for Boards Research and Leadership aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of factors influencing the decision-making of boards, including board members and CEO characteristics, behavioural patterns, governance structures and regulatory requirements. With a mission to create knowledge that can help top management teams to develop and to better lead contemporary organisations, we aim to explore the interplay of multiple factors that shape the performance of boards and top executives within the boards through a deeper understanding of leadership effectiveness, socio-cognitive and communicative behaviours and leadership teams in general.
Our experts are renown scholars who work in the areas of behavioural change, psycho-analytics, cognition, communication, career, corporate culture, legacy, governance and strategy. Together with boards and top management teams, we build new interdisciplinary theories on the topics related to consciousness, sensemaking, the unsaid, the unknown, emotional trends, board and executive climates, information-processing and faultlines, as well as development and learning. In our research, we draw on qualitative, process-based, and reflexive research methodologies.
Next to our research, we also offer various post-graduate and executive development programs as well as colloquia, conferences and seminars that bring together knowledgeable professionals and scholars to bring forth issues that are current and relevant in our world today.