Post by Sapphire Capital on Aug 19, 2008 2:07:54 GMT 4
Uncorporating the Large Firm
Larry E. Ribstein
University of Illinois College of Law
May 27, 2008
U Illinois Law & Economics Research Paper No. LE08-016
Abstract:
This article examines private equity firms as an example of partnership-type, or uncorporate, structures in the governance of large firms. Other examples include publicly traded partnerships, real estate investment trusts, hedge funds and venture capital funds. These firms can be seen as an alternative to the corporate form in dealing with the central problem of aligning managers' and owners' interests. In the standard corporate form, shareholders monitor powerful managers by voting on directors and corporate transactions, suing for breach of fiduciary duty and selling control. These mechanisms deal with managerial agency costs by relying on other agents, including auditors, class action lawyers, judges, independent directors and shareholder intermediaries such as mutual and pension funds. Uncorporations substitute other devices for corporate-type monitoring, including more closely tying managers' economic well-being to the firm's fortunes and greater assurance of distributions to owners. Continued concerns with managerial agency costs, the inadequacy of regulatory responses such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, changing costs and benefits of public ownership, leverage and capital lock-in all contribute to the rise of uncorporate structures in large firms. Political considerations may, however, constrain these developments.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID1138092_code517200.pdf?abstractid=1138092&mirid=2
Larry E. Ribstein
University of Illinois College of Law
May 27, 2008
U Illinois Law & Economics Research Paper No. LE08-016
Abstract:
This article examines private equity firms as an example of partnership-type, or uncorporate, structures in the governance of large firms. Other examples include publicly traded partnerships, real estate investment trusts, hedge funds and venture capital funds. These firms can be seen as an alternative to the corporate form in dealing with the central problem of aligning managers' and owners' interests. In the standard corporate form, shareholders monitor powerful managers by voting on directors and corporate transactions, suing for breach of fiduciary duty and selling control. These mechanisms deal with managerial agency costs by relying on other agents, including auditors, class action lawyers, judges, independent directors and shareholder intermediaries such as mutual and pension funds. Uncorporations substitute other devices for corporate-type monitoring, including more closely tying managers' economic well-being to the firm's fortunes and greater assurance of distributions to owners. Continued concerns with managerial agency costs, the inadequacy of regulatory responses such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, changing costs and benefits of public ownership, leverage and capital lock-in all contribute to the rise of uncorporate structures in large firms. Political considerations may, however, constrain these developments.
papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID1138092_code517200.pdf?abstractid=1138092&mirid=2