Part 1: Stockholders and Management Interests

Stockholders and managers want the same thing, don't they? Theoretically, yes, but in reality, it does not always work that way. Too often, managers' personal goals compete with shareholder wealth maximization. Sometimes, managers pay themselves excessive salaries or bonuses that are at odds with the idea of shareholder wealth maximization. How many times have you seen in the news examples of CEO excesses or outlandish spending on events or things that definitely do not help the overall goal of stockholder wealth maximization?

To prepare for this Discussion, think about a time in your professional experience when a decision was made that seemed to benefit a specific manager or small group of managers and not the overall corporation. If you do not have professional experience directly related to this topic, research a situation in the news where this theme is demonstrated. Consider the outcomes of such an imbalance between manager and stockholder interests and research on how to avoid such a situation.

Describe the situation from either your professional experience or your research.

Explain two or more motivational tools that can aid in aligning stockholder and management interests.

Explain how your selected tools are effective in resolving potential conflicts among managers and stockholders.