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The primary duty of the managers of any company is to use the resources of the company efficiently to achieve the objectives of the company. The extent to which an economy manages to attract investment will depend on the state of corporate governance in that economy since governance is concerned with how to ensure that managers use the company''s assets efficiently. Efficient use of company assets under good governance invariably translates to higher probability of good returns of investments. This note examines corporate governance systems and best practices across different jurisdictions, with an element of comparisons drawn between jurisdictions of relative size and stage of economic development. The author classified the jurisdictions into the Anglo-Saxon markets (United States, United Kingdom and Australia); the emerging markets (India, Malaysia and Thailand); the intermediate markets (South Africa, Mexico and Hong Kong); and the other markets (Germany, Japan and Brazil). Corporate governance guidelines and codes of best practice arise in the context of, and are affected by, differing national frameworks of law, regulation and stock exchange listing rules, and differing societal values. Effective corporate governance is supported by, and dependent on factors such as the market for corporate control, securities regulation, company law, accounting and auditing standards, bankruptcy laws, and judicial enforcement. The author looks at the impact of institutional ownership on companies and their governance systems, the operation of the market for corporate control which has been held to be crucial to the functioning of the private enterprise economy. The nature of the manager''s duties in different cultural contexts is discussed, as well as the board functions, delineation of duties, board composition, independence, appointment and orientation of new directors, etc.