John Carver (board policy)
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John Carver is an author noted for his development of the policy model for boards of directors called Policy Governance. Carver states his model is the only systematic theory of boards. Early in his career, Carver searched for a reliable guide to managing the work of a board. His research turned up little on the proper role of the board of directors.
[edit] Development of model
Carver noticed that board members often wonder what the board's job is and where the line distinguishing the Boards job for that of the CEO lies. Carver's model clarifies the separation by distinguishing between the company's goals and the means the company employs to attain those goals. In his model the board's job is to decide the goals and the Chief Executive Officer's job is to determine the means to achieve the board's ends.
Carver's model of boards originated with Carver. The term "Policy Governance" is registered and trademarked. Carver permits others to employ the term but he stops any efforts to redefine the term or to ignore its methods and systems. Although each application of the Policy Governance Model is peculiar to the specific organization being governed, The Policy Governance Model is not flexible to meet the uniqueness of different company settings. In every true application of Policy Governance the board represents the ownership of the organization as it defines the good that the organization is to provide.
Carver has written a number of books. These include "Boards That Make a Difference" which is probably the best known but "Reinventing Your Board," published in a new edition in 2006, is the easiest for a beginner to understand. It also contains model board policies that can be modified to fit a wider range of organizations.
