System, method and computer program product for identifying and displaying inter-relationships between corporate directors and boards

• US 20040215648A1
• Filed: 04/08/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Corporate Library
• Original Assignee: The Corporate Library
• Inventors: Cook, Jacqueline, Marshall, Ric
• Application Number:
  US10/408,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20040215648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/26 Visual data mining; Browsing structured data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for identifying and displaying inter-relationships between corporate directors and boards is provided. The system includes a user interface that permits a user to select a query entity, which can include a director or corporation and an application program that accesses a relational database to identify interlinks between the query entity and other entities. Where the query entity is a director, interlinks can be identified based on membership on a common board of directors or an affiliation with a common non-corporate organization, and where the query entity is a corporation, interlinks can be identified based on sharing a common director. Where two entities share two or more interlinks, an “interlock” is identified, which signifies a relationship of mutual self-interest or potential conflicts-of-interest that may adversely impact corporate governance. Results are displayed to a user via a graphical or tabular display interface.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to identify and display inter-relationships between corporate directors, said computer program logic comprising:

first means for enabling the processor to select a query director;

second means for enabling the processor to search a database to identify corporations having a board of directors upon which said query director sits;

third means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a first group of directors, wherein each director in said first group of directors sits on a board of one or more of said corporations identified by said second means;

fourth means for enabling the processor to identify a second group of directors from said first group of directors, wherein each director in said second group of directors sits on a board of two or more of said corporations identified by said second means; and

fifth means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said third means and said fourth means.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said first means comprises means for enabling the processor to select a query director based on input provided via a user interface.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein said means for enabling the processor to select a query director based on input provided via a user interface comprises means for enabling the processor to select a query director based on input provided over a network via a web interface.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said second and third means comprise means for enabling the processor to search a relational database using Structured Query Language (SQL).

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said fifth means comprises means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said third means and said fourth means in a graphical format.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said fifth means comprises means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said third means and said fourth means in a tabular format.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein said fifth means comprises means for enabling the processor to transmit results generated by said third means and said fourth means over a network for display via a web interface.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

means for enabling the processor to store results generated by said third means and said fourth means.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

sixth means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify corporations having a board of directors upon which a selected director from said first group of directors sits;

seventh means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a third group of directors, wherein each director in said third group of directors sits on a board of one or more of said corporations identified by said sixth means;

eighth means for enabling the processor to identify a fourth group of directors from said third group of directors, wherein each director in said fourth group of directors sits on a board of two or more of said corporations identified by said sixth means; and

ninth means for displaying results generated by said seventh and eighth means.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

sixth means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify non-corporate entities with which said query director is affiliated;

seventh means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a third group of directors, wherein each director in said third group of directors is affiliated with one or more of said non-corporate entities identified by said sixth means;

eighth means for enabling the processor to identify a fourth group of directors from said third group of directors, wherein each director in said fourth group of directors is affiliated with two or more of said non-corporate entities identified by said sixth means; and

ninth means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said seventh and eighth means.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for enabling a processor in a computer system to identify and display inter-relationships between corporations, said computer program logic comprising:

first means for enabling the processor to select a query corporation;

second means for enabling the processor to search a database to identify directors that sit on a board of directors of said query corporation;

third means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a first group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said first group of corporations has a board of directors that includes one or more of said directors identified by said second means;

fourth means for enabling the processor to identify a second group of corporations from said first group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said second group of corporations has a board of directors that includes two or more of said directors identified by said second means; and

fifth means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said third means and said fourth means.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said first means comprises means for enabling the processor to select a query corporation based on input provided via a user interface.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said means for enabling the processor to select a query corporation based on input provided via a user interface comprises means for enabling the processor to select a query corporation based on input provided over a network via a web interface.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said second and third means comprise means for enabling the processor to search a relational database using Structured Query Language (SQL).

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said fifth means comprises means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said third means and said fourth means in a graphical format.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said fifth means comprises means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said third means and said fourth means in a tabular format.

17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said fifth means comprises means for enabling the processor to transmit results generated by said third means and said fourth means over a network for display via a web interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

means for enabling the processor to store results generated by said third means and said fourth means.

19. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

sixth means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify directors that sit on a board of directors of a selected corporation from said first group of corporations;

seventh means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a third group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said third group of corporations has a board of directors that includes one or more of said directors identified by said sixth means;

eighth means for enabling the processor to identify a fourth group of corporations from said third group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said fourth group of corporations has a board of directors that includes two or more of said directors identified by said sixth means; and

means for enabling the processor to display results generated by said seventh means and said eighth means.

20. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising:

sixth means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a first group of non-corporate entities, wherein each entity in said first group of non-corporate entities is affiliated with one or more of said directors identified by said second means;

seventh means for enabling the processor to search said database to identify a second group of non-corporate entities, wherein each entity in said second group of non-corporate entities is affiliated with two or more of said directors identified by said second means; and

eighth means for displaying results generated by said sixth means and said seventh means.

21. A method for identifying and displaying inter-relationships between corporate directors, comprising:

(a) selecting a query director;

(b) searching a database to identify corporations having a board of directors upon which said query director sits;

(c) searching said database to identify a first group of directors, wherein each director in said first group of directors sits on a board of one or more of said corporations identified in step (b);

(d) identifying a second group of directors from said first group of directors, wherein each director in said second group of directors sits on a board of two or more of said corporations identified in step (b); and

(e) displaying results from steps (c) and (d).

22. The method of claim 21, wherein step (a) comprises selecting a query director based on input provided via a user interface.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein selecting a query director based on input provided via a user interface comprises selecting a query director based on input provided over a network via a web interface.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein searching said database comprises searching a relational database using Structured Query Language (SQL).

25. The method of claim 21, wherein step (e) comprises displaying results from steps (c) and (d) in a graphical format.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein step (e) comprises displaying results from steps (c) and (d) in a tabular format.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein step (e) comprises transmitting results from steps (c) and (d) over a network for display via a web interface.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

storing said results from steps (c) and (d) prior to performing step (e).

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

(f) searching said database to identify corporations having a board of directors upon which a selected director from said first group of directors sits;

(g) searching said database to identify a third group of directors, wherein each director in said third group of directors sits on a board of one or more of said corporations identified in step (f);

(h) identifying a fourth group of directors from said third group of directors, wherein each director in said fourth group of directors sits on a board of two or more of said corporations identified in step (f); and

(i) displaying results from steps (g) and (h).

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

(f) searching said database to identify non-corporate entities with which said query director is affiliated;

(g) searching said database to identify a third group of directors, wherein each director in said third group of directors is affiliated with one or more of said non-corporate entities identified in step (f);

(h) identifying a fourth group of directors from said third group of directors, wherein each director in said fourth group of directors is affiliated with two or more of said non-corporate entities identified in step (f); and

(i) displaying results from steps (g) and (h).

31. A method for identifying and displaying inter-relationships between corporations, comprising:

(a) selecting a query corporation;

(b) searching a database to identify directors that sit on a board of directors of said query corporation;

(c) searching said database to identify a first group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said first group of corporations has a board of directors that includes one or more of said directors identified in step (b);

(d) identifying a second group of corporations from said first group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said second group of corporations has a board of directors that includes two or more of said directors identified in step (b); and

(e) displaying results from steps (c) and (d).

32. The method of claim 31, wherein step (a) comprises selecting a query corporation based on input provided via a user interface.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein selecting a query corporation based on input provided via a user interface comprises selecting a query corporation based on input provided over a network via a web interface.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein searching said database comprises searching a relational database using Structured Query Language (SQL).

35. The method of claim 31, wherein step (e) comprises displaying results from steps (c) and (d) in a graphical format.

36. The method of claim 31, wherein step (e) comprises displaying results from steps (c) and (d) in a tabular format.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein step (e) comprises transmitting results from steps (c) and (d) over a network for display via a web interface.

38. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

storing said results from steps (c) and (d) prior to performing step (e).

39. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

(f) searching said database to identify directors that sit on a board of directors of a selected corporation from said first group of corporations;

(g) searching said database to identify a third group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said third group of corporations has a board of directors that includes one or more of said directors identified in step (f);

(h) identifying a fourth group of corporations from said third group of corporations, wherein each corporation in said fourth group of corporations has a board of directors that includes two or more of said directors identified in step (f); and

(i) displaying results from steps (g) and (h).

40. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

(f) searching said database to identify a first group of non-corporate entities, wherein each entity in said first group of non-corporate entities is affiliated with one or more of said directors identified in step (b);

(g) searching said database to identify a second group of non-corporate entities, wherein each entity in said second group of non-corporate entities is affiliated with two or more of said directors identified in step (b); and

(h) displaying results from steps (f) and (g).