The Limits and Logic of Agency Theory in Company Law

The Limits and Logic of Agency Theory in Company Law PDF Author: Jonathan Hardman
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1040131603
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 259

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Book Description
Agency theory is ubiquitous in company law. This book explores (a) the limits of such deployment, and (b) the logic of how to deploy it. The book makes five linked arguments in respect of the limits of agency theory in company law. First, it argues that agency theory has become so broad that it can be used to analyse most human relationships. Such breadth, though, comes at the expense of legal clarity: as agency relationships cover such a broad range of relationships, there are no normative legal conclusions that can be drawn merely from identifying such a relationship. Second, it argues that we need to differentiate more specific concepts with clearer legal implications, such as externalities, and the particular manifestation of moral hazard that appears in insurance dynamics. Third, it argues that considerable amounts of existing company law theory - which is ostensibly built from agency theory - is in fact based on a series of hidden value judgments at each stage of the analysis. Fourth, it argues that company law theory should use agency theory less to rebalance the discipline: agency theory has become hegemonic, which is dangerous for the discipline, obscures company law’s role in establishing incentives, undermines accountability, and reduces company law’s autonomy. The book then moves to the logic of agency theory and makes three arguments. First, it argues that we need to factor in the company, only apply agency theory to voluntary interactions, and foreground our value judgments when identifying agency relations to do it properly. Second, it argues that it is rational to incur agency costs when we perceive the benefits of doing so to outweigh the costs, meaning that agency costs can be facilitative and we should look to front-end them rather than universally minimise them. Third, it argues that this needs to be undertaken through mandatory laws. Exploring the external limits and internal logic of agency cost analysis, this book will be of interest to academics, students, and researchers of corporate and company law.

The Limits and Logic of Agency Theory in Company Law

The Limits and Logic of Agency Theory in Company Law PDF Author: Jonathan Hardman
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1040131603
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 259

Get Book Here

Book Description
Agency theory is ubiquitous in company law. This book explores (a) the limits of such deployment, and (b) the logic of how to deploy it. The book makes five linked arguments in respect of the limits of agency theory in company law. First, it argues that agency theory has become so broad that it can be used to analyse most human relationships. Such breadth, though, comes at the expense of legal clarity: as agency relationships cover such a broad range of relationships, there are no normative legal conclusions that can be drawn merely from identifying such a relationship. Second, it argues that we need to differentiate more specific concepts with clearer legal implications, such as externalities, and the particular manifestation of moral hazard that appears in insurance dynamics. Third, it argues that considerable amounts of existing company law theory - which is ostensibly built from agency theory - is in fact based on a series of hidden value judgments at each stage of the analysis. Fourth, it argues that company law theory should use agency theory less to rebalance the discipline: agency theory has become hegemonic, which is dangerous for the discipline, obscures company law’s role in establishing incentives, undermines accountability, and reduces company law’s autonomy. The book then moves to the logic of agency theory and makes three arguments. First, it argues that we need to factor in the company, only apply agency theory to voluntary interactions, and foreground our value judgments when identifying agency relations to do it properly. Second, it argues that it is rational to incur agency costs when we perceive the benefits of doing so to outweigh the costs, meaning that agency costs can be facilitative and we should look to front-end them rather than universally minimise them. Third, it argues that this needs to be undertaken through mandatory laws. Exploring the external limits and internal logic of agency cost analysis, this book will be of interest to academics, students, and researchers of corporate and company law.

The Limits and Logic of Agency Theory in Company Law

The Limits and Logic of Agency Theory in Company Law PDF Author: Jonathan Hardman
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781032277141
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"Agency theory is ubiquitous in company law. This book explores (a) the limits of such deployment, and (b) the logic of how to deploy it. The book makes five linked arguments in respect of the limits of agency theory in company law. First, it argues that agency theory has become so broad that it can be used to analyse most human relationships. Such breadth, though, comes at the expense of legal clarity: as agency relationships cover such a broad range of relationships, there are no normative legal conclusions that can be drawn merely from identifying such a relationship. Second, it argues that we need to differentiate more specific concepts with clearer legal implications, such as externalities, and the particular manifestation of moral hazard that appears in insurance dynamics. Third, it argues that considerable amounts of existing company law theory which is ostensibly built from agency theory, is in fact based on a series of hidden value judgments at each stage of the analysis. Fourth, it argues that company law theory should use agency theory less to rebalance the discipline: agency theory has become hegemonic which is dangerous for the discipline, obscures company law's role in establishing incentives, undermines accountability, and reduces company law's autonomy. The book then moves to the logic of agency theory and makes three arguments. First, it argues that we need to factor in the company, only apply agency theory to voluntary interactions, and foreground our value judgments when identifying agency relations to do it properly. Second, it argues that it is rational to incur agency costs where we perceive the benefit of doing so outweighs such costs, meaning that agency costs are facilitative and we should look to front-end them rather than universally minimise them. Third, it argues that this needs to be undertaken through mandatory laws. Exploring the external limits and internal logic of agency cost analysis, this book will be of interest to academics, students and researchers of corporate and company law"--

The Enlightened Shareholder Value Principle and Corporate Governance

The Enlightened Shareholder Value Principle and Corporate Governance PDF Author: Andrew Keay
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 041568434X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
The book explains and assesses the nature of enlightened shareholder value principle (ESV) and its contribution to corporate governance. Andrew Keay traces the development of the principle of ESV and examines it in the context of existing principles which have influenced corporate governance. The book analyses the UK legislation that delivers the principle in corporate law and ESV is compared to the constituency statutes that apply in the US in order to determine can whether anything can be learned from the American experience with these statutes. Finally the book considers whether ESV will mean a less short-termist approach by financial institutions and non-financial institutions after the global financial crisis.

Corporate Governance, The Firm and Investor Capitalism

Corporate Governance, The Firm and Investor Capitalism PDF Author: Alexander Styhre
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
ISBN: 1785364022
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 291

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Book Description
The shift from managerial capitalism to investor capitalism, dominated by the finance industry and finance capital accumulation, is jointly caused by a variety of institutional, legal, political, and ideological changes, beginning with the 1970s’ downturn of the global economy. This book traces how the incorporation of businesses within the realm of the state leads to both certain benefits, characteristic of competitive capitalism, and to the emergence of new corporate governance problems emerges. Contrasting economic, legal, and managerial views of corporate governance practices in contemporary capitalism, the author examines how corporate governance has been understood and advocated differently during the New Deal era, the post-World War II economic boom, and the after 1980 in the era of free market advocacy.

The Modern Corporation and Private Property

The Modern Corporation and Private Property PDF Author: Adolf A. Berle (Jr.)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Corporation law
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description


Capitalism, Corporations and the Social Contract

Capitalism, Corporations and the Social Contract PDF Author: Samuel F. Mansell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107015529
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 199

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Book Description
Samuel Mansell critiques the principles of stakeholder theory, proposing instead a qualified version of Friedman's shareholder theory.

Company Law and Sustainability

Company Law and Sustainability PDF Author: Beate Sjåfjell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1316298930
Category : Law
Languages : en
Pages : 373

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Book Description
This investigation of the barriers to and opportunities for promoting environmental sustainability in company law provides an in-depth comparative analysis of company law regimes across the world. The social norm of shareholder primacy is the greatest barrier preventing progress, and it also helps explain why voluntary action by companies and investors is insufficient. By deconstructing the myth that shareholder primacy has a legal basis and challenging the economic postulates on which mainstream corporate governance debate is based, Company Law and Sustainability reveals a surprisingly large unexplored potential within current company law regimes for companies to reorient themselves towards sustainability. It also suggests possible methods of reforming the existing legal infrastructure for companies and provides an important contribution to the broader debate on how to achieve sustainability.

The Corporation

The Corporation PDF Author: Grietje Baars
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108132650
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 1245

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Book Description
The corporation has become an increasingly dominant force in contemporary society. However, comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the concept of the corporation is often restricted, or limited to one disciplinary approach. This handbook brings together the cutting-edge scholarship, expertise and insight of leading scholars in a wide range of disciplines, notably management studies, law, history, political science, anthropology, sociology and criminology, using a critical approach to dissect and understand the corporation. Ten chapters provide overviews of the state of play of critical scholarship on the corporation in each of these disciplines. Further contributors tackle current hot topics, such as corporate social responsibility, corporate crime, global value chains, financialization, and the interaction between corporations and communities. Finally, they consider resistance and alternatives to the corporation. With its interdisciplinary approach, this book is an invaluable resource for all readers studying the past, present and future of the corporation.

CEO Governance and Shareholder Returns

CEO Governance and Shareholder Returns PDF Author: Lex Donaldson
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781862740747
Category : Group decision making
Languages : en
Pages : 25

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Book Description


Company Law and Sustainability

Company Law and Sustainability PDF Author: Beate Sjåfjell
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107043271
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 373

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Book Description
This book advances an innovative, multi-jurisdictional argument for the necessity of company law reform to reorient companies towards environmental sustainability.