Aktiebolagets vinstsyfte
en juridisk, rättsekonomisk och affärsetisk diskussion och analys av det privatägda aktiebolagets syfte att öka aktieägarnas förmögenheter
LawAktiebolagAktieägareVinstVinstsyfteVinstmaximeringAssociationsrättRättsekonomiAffärsetikRÄTTSVETENSKAP/JURIDIK
Problems: How is the purpose of the swedish limited liability company to increase the wealth of its shareholders given in swedish corporate law? Based on which legal and economical grounds has this regulation been made? Which problems may occur when the purpose of the company is to maximize the wealth of its shareholders? Which strategies can be used to prevent the problems that may occur? Should the purpose of the company be to maximize the wealth of its shareholders? Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate whether a limited liability company primarily shall aim at maximizing the wealth of its shareholders or not. Delimitations: This thesis only attend swedish limited liability companies. It also only treat swedish corporate law de lege lata. The thesis focus on larger commercial companies which shares are widely spread. It is assumed that the companies act on a market with satisfying competition. It is also assumed that individuals try to maximize their own good, that they can be rational and that they are able to react on stimulus. Finally this thesis focus mainly on the companies shareholders, its management and its employees. Method: The sources that have been used in this thesis are mainly the traditional sources for a swedish layer, namely words of legal acts,legal proposals and legal doctrine. Also economical and ethical doctrine have been of value for this thesis. Result: The purpose of a swedish limited liability company to maximize the wealth of its shareholders is, for a number of reasons, a reasonable starting point. However shareholder wealth maximization may lead to conciderable conflicts of interests when ownership and control are separated. Shareholder wealth maximization may also rise ethical problems. Therefore it is essential that the company takes other interests than those that are represented by the shareholders into account. By doing so a nuanced picture of the purpose of the company is provided.