Decision-making in the co-determined Supervisory Board

Corporate co-determination is a recurring topic of political and public debate. Nevertheless, little is known about the practice of co-determined supervisory board work. This study draws on almost 180 interviews with supervisory board members of large German companies and takes a closer look at how supervisory boards work in practice. It analyses how employee and shareholder interests are constructed and which forms of cooperation can be observed. In the process, a typology of four forms of behaviour unfolds, providing unexpected insights into the work of supervisory boards.