Nikolaus Wolfmeyer

Corporate Governance in Germany Nikolaus Wolfmeyer

Business scandals have triggered a debate about the influence of financial markets on corporate governance. This challenging book by Nikolaus Wolfmeyer adresses the key questions: What does shareholder value mean for corporate governance? Does it become the new measure for business performance in Germany? The book illustrates how shareholder value has coined corporate governance in the U. S. since the early 20th century and introduces the reader to the most influential theories in the field, e.g. Principal Agency Theory and Property Rights Theory. On the basis of three major forces that shape corporate governance - capital markets, ownership structure, legal, political and regulatory system - the volume compares corporate governance in the U. S. and Germany. The author argues that a process of convergence is taking place. However, key factors like codetermination might prevent that corporations focus only on shareholder value maximization. The book will be required reading for students and researchers of corporate governance and macroeconomic evolution. It is also an intriguing reading for decision-makers and financial commentators.