How does competition for authority within the corporation give rise to issues in corporate governance?

The corporate structure is designed to establish limited authority in shareholders, directors, and officers. While the general responsibilities of each are clearly established, the strength of influence on decision making is often distorted by the amount of authority demanded or exercised by each stakeholder. Various aspects of competition for authority are discussed below.

What are Internal Power Struggles?

The most notable power struggles come between the board of directors and shareholders. These matters are often settled through shareholder votes or derivative actions by shareholders against the board. In this process, shareholders may seek to assert additional control over director decision making; while directors often seek to diminish shareholder input.

Note: Shareholders do not approve of a strategic course for the corporation as decided by the directors. Shareholders seek to exert influence over the directors to influence their decision making or request that certain actions be submitted to shareholder vote for approval. If the directors decline to follow shareholder urging and it leads to a corporate loss, shareholders have the option of bringing direct or derivative actions against the directors. Further, shareholders may seek to unseat uncooperative directors at election time.

What are Friendly Takeovers?

A common point of conflict may arise between the existing board of directors and prospective acquirers (purchasers of a controlling percentage of outstanding shares) of the corporation. This transaction is known as a corporate takeover or buyout. A takeover is where third parties purchase the outstanding shares of corporate stock and thereby gain control of the corporation. The prospective acquirer(s) may be unrelated third parties, managers, or existing shareholders. The acquirer may petition the board of directors to accept a takeover bid. If the board endorses the offer, it will submit the proposal to existing shareholders. If a majority (or supermajority) of shareholders approve the purchase, the board will repurchase all of the outstanding shares from shareholders at the proposed price. The shares are then surrendered to the acquiring firm. If, however, the board or shareholders reject the acquirers offer, the acquirer may seek alternative methods to acquire control over the corporation, such as through a hostile takeover.

Note: In some cases, a takeover can appear to be friendly but is really hostile. For example, a bear hug is a situation where an acquirer offers a purchase price to the board that is far above expected value. The board may be required to accept or endorse the offer in order to meet its obligations to represent the best interest of shareholders.

Example: I am an activist investor. I see opportunity for creating value in ABC Corp. I make a tender offer to the board to purchase all (or a majority) of outstanding corporate shares. Directors will evaluate the offer and either accept or reject it. In some case, directors are obligated to submit the offer to shareholders for approval or rejection.

Related Topics

• Corporate Governance Law (Intro)
• What is Business Governance?
• Berle-Means Thesis 
• Corporate Governance Rating Definition
• Who are the members of a corporation?
• Corporate Charter
• Shareholder Register
• Common Stock
• Preferred Stock
• Par Value
• Authorized Shares
• Issued Shares of Stock
• Unissued Shares of Stock
• Outstanding Shares
• Institutional Shares
• Dual Class Shares
• What is a closely-held corporation?
• Close Corporation Plan Definition
• What is a Private Company vs a Public Company?
• What is the role and purpose of the corporation?
• What is the Agency theory of corporate governance?
• Shareholder-Centric Perspective
• Shareholder Value
• What is the Stakeholder theory of corporate governance?
  
• What is the role & rights of Shareholders in the corporation?
  
• Shareholder Democracy Definition
• Quorum Definition
• Information Circular
• Straight and Cumulative Voting
• Statutory (Straight)
  
• Cumulative Voting
• Plurality Voting
• Class Voting Shareholders
• Changing the Voting Rules
• Supermajority (Voting)
• Shareholder Sponsored Proposal 
• What are the variations on attributes of Ownership structure?
• Stock Split
• What are the fiduciary duties owed by shareholders?
• When is a shareholder personally liable for corporate obligations?
• Appraisal Rights
• Dissenter's Rights
• Say on Pay Rights
• How can shareholder enforce their rights (direct and derivative actions)?
• Amotion
• What is the process for bringing a Derivative action?
• What are corporate vote Proxies?
• Proxy Statement
• Proxy Fight or Contest Definition & Explanation 
• What is Shareholder Activism and the significance of Institutional Investors?
• Activist Investor
• Overview of Board of Directors
• Board Decision Making
• Advisory Board (Observer Directors)
• What is the role of the Board of Directors?
• Board of Trustees
• Board of Governors
• What is the composition of the board of directors?
• Chairman of the Board
• CEO as Chairman of the Board
• Inside Director
  
• Outside Director
• Outside Director or Non-Executive Director Definition
• Independent Outside Director
• Budget Committee
• Audit Committee
• Compensation Committee
• Nomination Committee (Corporate Board)
• What standards govern the actions of the board of directors?
• Duty of Candor Definition
• Duty of Care (Board of Directors)
• Duty of Loyalty (Directors) 
• Self-Dealing
• Board Evaluation Definition
• What is the Business Judgment Rule?
• What is D&O insurance?
• Codetermination (Foreign)
• What is the role of Managers of the corporation?
• What standards govern manager actions?
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• Chief Investment Officer (CIO)
• Chief Legal Officer
• Chief Operating Officer
• Chief Risk Officer
• Chief Security Officer
• Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
• What are the primary state and federal corporate governance laws?
• What is the role of the state in corporate governance?
• What is the role of Securities Laws in corporate governance?
• What is the role of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in corporate governance?
• What is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) effect on corporate governance?
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX)
• What is the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act effect on corporate governance?
• Corporate Monitors
• What industry organization standards affect corporate governance?
• How do proxy advisory firms affect corporate governance?
• What is the role of ethics in corporate governance?
• What are the major causes of corporate governance issues?
• What are the access to information issues?
• What are decision-making structure issues?
• What are the power struggle or competition issues?
• Holding Company
• What are hostile takeovers and defenses to hostile takeovers?
• Williams Act
• Staggered Board
• Shark Repellent Defenses?
• Poison Pill Defenses?
• Flip Over Poison Pill Definition
• Flip In Poison Pill Definition
  
• Voting Poison Pill Plan
• Delay-Tactic Defenses?
• Legal Lockup Defenses?
• White Knight and Pac Man Defenses?
• Jonestown Defense
• Lady Macbeth Strategy
• Macaroni Defense
• Yellow Knight
• Back-end Plan Definition
• Backflip Takeover Definition
• Dead Hand Provision Definition
• Kamikaze Defense
• Operating Company Property Company Model
• Whitemail
• Scorched Earth Policy Definition
• Revlon Rule
• What are benefit-alignment issues?
• Cadbury Rules Definition