Prof. Don Lange (Arizona State University)

Date: Monday, February 12^th, 2024
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Location: Prof.-Huber-Pl. 2 (W) - LEHRTURM-W401
Title: "One Way or Another: Tradeoffs versus Mutual Gains in Stakeholder Strategy"
Abstract: In the first part of this presentation, I'll describe an empirical study exploring the priorities of top managers in U.S. publicly held corporations, focusing on the shareholder primacy and stakeholder perspectives. We examine which of these perspectives is being enacted in practice. Our study looks at whether decreased shareholder litigation risk prompts a shift from shareholder-centric to broader stakeholder considerations. Additionally, we analyze how firm ownership and governance traits impact these managerial trends, and if self-serving motives play a role in the shift towards stakeholder approaches. In the second part of the presentation, I will present some preliminary thoughts on a conceptual model aimed at contributing to stakeholder theory. We are developing theory to explain when and why managers might be inclined to adopt either a tradeoff approach, prioritizing specific stakeholders and their interests over others, or an integrative approach, finding ways to align seemingly conflicting stakeholder interests.