The Shareholder Value Myth

Executives, investors, and the business press routinely say that corporations are required to “maximize shareholder value,” but corporate expert Lynn Stout disagrees. She argues that overemphasizing shareholders leads to a focus on short-term earnings, discouraging investment and innovation. In The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public, Stout looks at new models of corporate purpose that better serve the needs of investors, corporations, and society.