INTRODUCTION
The shareholder wealth maximization is a model that is accepted globally. There is no doubt that it is a superior and effective when compared with other models that focus on profit maximization. Stakeholders are considered important by all business organizations. However, there are other parties that are also important. They include employees, creditors, customers, and the community. The objective of wealth maximization does not include the other important parties in an organization. It mainly focuses on the shareholders. This makes the social welfare of other stakeholders to emerge an essential corporate objective. Therefore, this paper majorly critique the shareholder wealth maximization model as corporate objective.
The main aim of the managers that run the corporations is to maximize the wealth of shareholders. Research indicates that many corporation managers especially in the US target increasing the wealth of the shareholders. This is basically achieved through the increasing the profits made by these corporations.
THE SWM MODEL
Shareholder wealth maximization based on social welfare would not
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None of the two parties is considered superior to the other. Their interests are taken care of under the corporate policy. The theory advances on the incentives that should be offered to the agents in order to motivate them to work in line with the objectives of the company. The theory suggests that the incentives that promote moral misconduct by the agents should be eliminated. This forces the companies to develop rules that discourage moral hazard. The SWM model fails to promote the interests of all parties that form a company. Its main focus is on the shareholders. However, the agency theory successfully considers the interests of both the principals and agents. Therefore, the application of agency theory promotes social welfare and fair treatment of all the
The primary objective of the manager is to please the stockholder by maximizing stockholder wealth.
Over the years, firms have increasingly been maximising shareholder value. However, Steve Denning, a former director of the World Bank, author of six leadership and management books and columnist for Forbes, disagrees. His article “The Origin of the ‘World’s Dumbest Idea’: Milton Friedman”, was published on June 26, 2013 on Forbes, debates against Friedman’s argument that the social responsibility of corporations is to make money for its shareholders. The main issue here is whether the maximisation of shareholder value as the guiding principle of executives is detrimental to the corporation. Although Denning has exhibited valid points in his argument, his lack of citation, biased view on most arguments and his tone has dampened the credibility
Managers and shareholders are the utmost contributors of these conflicts, hence affecting the entire structural organization of a company, its managerial system and eventually to the company's societal responsibility. A corporation is well organized with stipulated division of responsibilities among the arms of the organizational structure, shareholders, directors, managers and corporate officers. However, conflicts between managers in most firms and shareholders have brought about agency problems. Shares and their trade have seen many companies rise to big investments. Shareholders keep the companies running
This situation can lead to negative consequences for a business when its executives or management direct the organization to act in the best interest of themselves instead of the best interest of its owners or shareholders. Stockholders of the enterprise can keep this problem from arises by attempting to align the interest of management with that of themselves. This normally occurs through incentive pay, stock compensation, or other similar incentive packages that now cause the managers financial success to be tied to that of the company (Garcia, Rodriguez-Sanchez, & Fdez-Valdivia, 2015; Cui, Zhao, & Tang, 2007; Bruhl, 2003; Carols & Nicholas,
According to Gitman, the goal of the firm, and therefore of all managers and employees, is to maximize the wealth of the owners for whom it is being operated (2009). The financial manager is responsible for acquiring sources of financing and allocate amongst competitive investment alternatives. The ultimate goal is to invest in projects yielding higher returns than amount of financing used to invest, so profits can be used satisfy claims and increase shareholder wealth. The issues facing financial managers are therefore to 1) increase sources of financing from investors and 2) increase shareholder wealth while maintaining a
A company has to find a way to achieve a balance between rewarding managers to the point that it is detrimental to the company and finding a way to maximize the wealth of the shareholders.
The purpose of businesses is to maximize the market value of existing shareholders’ common stock.
(3) Managerial reward maximization, (4) behavioral goals, and (5) social responsibility. However, the primary goal of the business is to maximize the wealth of its stockholders, which translates into maximizing the price of the firm‘s common stock. The traditional goal frequently stressed by economists--profit maximization--is not
This paper will have a detailed discussion on the shareholder theory of Milton Friedman and the stakeholder theory of Edward Freeman. Friedman argued that “neo-classical economic theory suggests that the purpose of the organisations is to make profits in their accountability to themselves and their shareholders and that only by doing so can business contribute to wealth for itself and society at large”. On the other hand, the theory of stakeholder suggests that the managers of an organisation do not only have the duty towards the firm’s shareholders; rather towards the individuals and constituencies who contribute to the company’s wealth, capacity and activities. These individuals or constituencies can be the shareholders, employees,
3. Corporate managers are expected to make capital budgeting and other decisions that are in the best interest of the corporations shareholders.
In light of the recent scandals that rose around big multinationals such as Enron and WorldCom, it has become evident that reform in the traditional corporate operations and objectives was to be encompassed in the organisations corporate strategies. Indeed throughout the years, companies main objectives were defined primarily as being economic objectives, Multinationals developed with sight of profit maximisations regardless to the other incentives, Friedman considered that to be the foundation for a well-managed company, it was further considered that the financing of any other sort of social corporate activities rather unnecessary. The expenses were regarded as expenditures for the owners and investors; this was a time where shareholders rights were regarded as conflicting with other constituents namely the employees, creditors, customers or the community in general. However this interpretation is seen as rather inadequate due to the nature of the amalgamated relation between both constituents. Stakeholders in modern corporate doctrine are considered as a core apparatus for the well functioning of a business. It is however often argued that the only way for a corporation to achieve better results and maximise its profits is to include other people in the process, individuals or organisations with direct or indirect interest in the well performance of the company, that is the reason why modern regulations and codes include a number of stakeholders other than the
* The more money that managers make in wages and benefits, the less stockholders see in bottom-line net income. Stockholders obviously want the best managers for the job, but they don’t want to pay any more than they have to. In many corporations, top-level managers, for all practical purposes, set their own salaries and compensation packages.
Agency problem is a potential conflict between the agent and shareholders in the interest. It is shown that ownership is separated from management. This cause not only is the divergence of ownership and control, but also the information is asymmetrical. When ownership is separated
The principals (the shareholders) have to find ways of ensuring that their agents (the managers) act in their interests.
“Corporate finance theory, teaching and the typically recommended practice at least in the US are all built on the premise that the primary goal of a corporation should be the maximization of shareholder value.”