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Owners v Managers and the Principle Agent Problem

Sunday, May 24, 2009
by Geoff Riley

Simon Evans writing in the Independent asks if we are seeing an age of greater shareholder activism against the entrenched power of executives at the helm of listed companies? A useful article for A2 students keen to have some examples of shareholders putting more pressure on managers but the limitations of scrutiny that lies at the heart of the principle-agent-problem.

Owners vs managers

Bellway: Almost 60 per cent of shareholders at Bellway’s AGM in January voted against a bonus deal for John Watson, the chief executive, which would have seen him awarded a bonus worth more than half his salary.

Target Corporation: New York-listed Target is under pressure from Pershing Square Capital Management after a decline in profit. Target is cutting costs by freezing the salaries of senior managers and taking on rival Wal-Mart by expanding its food sales. Pershing, with an 8 per cent stake, wants more substantial moves, such as replacing the board of directors.”

The rest of the article is here

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