This thesis, consisting of three individual research papers, examines how management and board characteristics affect corporate decision-making using both experimental and archival evidence. The first paper empirically examines how members of the board of directors with financial expertise affect the outcomes of initial public offerings. The second paper studies the importance of audit committee chairs for improving financial reporting and audit quality. The third paper experimentally analyzes determinants of executives’ social and ecological investment behavior. In summary, this thesis provides valuable contributions to the academic literature and offers relevant implications for practitioners on corporate governance and management characteristics.