Abstract
Traditionally corporate law systems based on common law are also very much based on the concept of ‘ownership’ of the company by the shareholders—the idea that the shareholders ‘own’ the company and that they can control the company through their voting power at the general meeting.1 They cast their vote personally or by proxy and can employ this means to determine the destiny of the company. The voting right of a shareholder is seen as a personal right and, generally speaking, can be cast according to the shareholder’s perception of what is in his or her own best interest.2
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References
For a succinct exposition of this concept, see Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Industrial Democracy (Bullock Report) Cmnd 6706 (HMSO, London 1977) 59 para 2.
Wedderburn of Charlton, ‘Companies and Employees: Common Law or Social Dimension?’ [1993] LQR 230. Also AJ Boyle, ‘Draft Fifth Directive: Implications for directors’ Duties, Board Structure and Employee Participation’ (1992) 13 Company Lawyer 9.
Theodor Baums, ‘Corporate Governance in Germany: The Role of the Banks’ [1992] AJCL 503. Also Martin Peltzer, ‘Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff; Thomas J Andre (Jr),’ some Reflections on German Corporate Governance: A Glimpse at German Supervisory Boards’ (1996) 70 Tulane L Rev 1819 para 1834 ff.
Carsten P Claussen, ‘Aktienrechstreform 1997’ (1996) 41 AG 482–84. See generally [1997] AG (Special Edition) 7–8.
See Helmut Kohl, ‘Corporate Governance: Path Dependence and German Corporate Law: Some Skeptical Remarks from the Sideline’ (1999) 5 Colum J Eur L 197.
Claussen Aktienrechstreform 1997’ (1996) 41 AG 482–84 (n 4) 482–84. See also Peltzer (n 3) 841 (fn 1).
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 851.
Ibid 843.
Baums (n 3) 505. This is remarkable when compared with the position in America, where the five largest shareholders together rarely control as much as 5% of a large firm’s shares—see Mark J Roe,’ some differences in corporate structure in Germany, Japan, and the United States’ [1993] Yale L J 1936—93.
Baums (n 3) 503; Wedderburn (n 2) 237.
Baums (n 3) 505–506; B Großfeld and U Lehmann, ‘Management structures and worker’s codetermination in Germany with European perspectives’ (1994) 1 Corporate Law Development Series 47; Bernhard Großfeld and Werner Ebke, ‘Controlling the Modern Corporation: A Comparative View of Corporate Power in the United States and Europe’ [1978] AJCL 397.
See Detlev F Vagts, ‘Reforming the ‘Modern’ Corporation: Perspectives from the German’ (1966) Harvard L Rev 53–54.
Roe (n 9) 1971.
Ss 135(1)–(2) AktG. See further Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 844.
For statistics in this respect, see Baums (n 3) 507–08.
Baums (n 3) 506–07.
Claussen Aktienrechstreform 1997’ (1996) 41 AG 482–84 (n 4) 482–83. See also Peltzer (n 3) 844.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 845–46.
Baums (n 3) 508–09.
Baums (n 3) 505 (fn 16). See in general also Roe (n 9) 1930, 1936 ff.
Baums (n 3) 507. Also Vagts (n 12) 58.
Baums (n 3) 504–05. See also Peltzer (n 3) 844.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 844 points out that the possibility of misuse of their dominant position lies in the fact that banks may appoint their own representatives to supervisory boards or ensure that supervisory boards are filled with people who will sympathise with bank interests.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 850.
Baums (n 3) 513 ff also discusses other control mechanisms, but considers these methods to be the most important ones.
Baums (n 3) 509.
In terms of s 50(3) AktG a member of the management board can only be dismissed by the supervisory board for cause (eg in the case of a criminal offence committed by a member of the management board). Apart from criminal cases, dismissal for other causes rarely occurs as it will reflect very negatively on the company’s ‘reputation’—see Baums (n 3) 515.
Baums (n 3) 514. Also Großfeld and Lehmann (n 11) 48.
Großfeld and Lehmann U Lehmann, ‘Management structures and worker’s codetermination in Germany with European perspectives’ (1994) 1 Corporate Law Development Series 47 (n 11) 43.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 844.
Baums (n 3) 511.
Claus Luttermann, in Bruno Kropff and Johannes Semler (eds), Münchener Kommentar zum Aktiengesetz (2nd edn CH Beck Verlag, Munich 2003) vol 5/1 (s 264 HGB) 786 para 79.
Data by Deutsches Aktieninstitut (DAI), DAI-Factbook 2006 (Oct 2006) 08.5-1, 1996 to 2006.
Ibid 2005 and 2000.
Ibid 2006 and 1996.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 846–48. See also Großfeld and Lehmann (n 11) 48; Vagts (n 12) 57.
Peter Raisch, ‘Zum Begriff und zur Bedeutung des Unternehmensinteresses als Verhaltensmaxime von Vorstands-und Aufsichtsratmitgliedern’ in Robert Fischer et al (eds), Strukturen und Entwicklungen im Handels-, Gesellschafts-und Wirtschaftsrecht—Festschrift für Wolfgang Hefermehl (CH Beck Verlag, München 1976) 350. See also Peltzer (n 3) 844, 845–46.
Vagts (n 12) 57, 63.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 844.
Großfeld and Ebke Werner Ebke, ‘Controlling the Modern Corporation: A Comparative View of Corporate Power in the United States and Europe’ [1978] AJCL 397 (n 11) 95.
Vagts (n 12) 57.
Großfeld and Lehmann U Lehmann, ‘Management structures and worker’s codetermination in Germany with European perspectives’ (1994) 1 Corporate Law Development Series 47 (n 11) 48; Großfeld and Ebke (n 11) 96.
Peltzer Empfehlen sich gesetzliche Regeln zur Einschränkung des Einflusses der Kreditinstitute auf Aktiengesellschaften?’ [1996] JZ 842 ff (n 3) 843.
Ibid 844.
Baums (n 3) 514–15.
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du Plessis, J., Luttermann, C. (2007). The Dominant Role of the German Banks and New Players in the German Financial Sector. In: German Corporate Governance in International and European Context. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-71187-2_8
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