Lynn Stout

“Shareholder value is the dumbest idea in the world.”—Jack WelchExecutives, investors, and the business press routinely chant the mantra that corporations are required to “maximize shareholder value.” In this pathbreaking book, renowned corporate expert Lynn Stout debunks the myth that corporate law mandates shareholder primacy. Stout shows how shareholder value thinking endangers not only investors but the rest of us as well, leading managers to focus myopically on short-term earnings; discouraging investment and innovation; harming employees, customers, and communities; and causing companies to indulge in reckless, sociopathic, and irresponsible behaviors. And she looks at new models of corporate purpose that better serve the needs of investors, corporations, and society.

How the science of unselfish behavior can promote law, order, and prosperityContemporary law and public policy often treat human beings as selfish creatures who respond only to punishments and rewards. Yet every day we behave unselfishly―few of us mug the elderly or steal the paper from our neighbor's yard, and many of us go out of our way to help strangers. We nevertheless overlook our own good behavior and fixate on the bad things people do and how we can stop them. In this pathbreaking book, acclaimed law and economics scholar Lynn Stout argues that this focus neglects the crucial role our better impulses could play in society. Rather than lean on the power of greed to shape laws and human behavior, Stout contends that we should rely on the force of conscience.Stout makes the compelling case that conscience is neither a rare nor quirky phenomenon, but a vital force woven into our daily lives. Drawing from social psychology, behavioral economics, and evolutionary biology, Stout demonstrates how social cues―instructions from authorities, ideas about others' selfishness and unselfishness, and beliefs about benefits to others―have a powerful role in triggering unselfish behavior. Stout illustrates how our legal system can use these social cues to craft better laws that encourage more unselfish, ethical behavior in many realms, including politics and business. Stout also shows how our current emphasis on self-interest and incentives may have contributed to the catastrophic political missteps and financial scandals of recent memory by encouraging corrupt and selfish actions, and undermining society's collective moral compass.This book proves that if we care about effective laws and civilized society, the powers of conscience are simply too important for us to ignore.

Top Cornell law professor Lynn Stout and her coauthors Tamara Belinfanti and Sergio Gramitto offer a visionary but practical proposal to provide a guaranteed minimum income--it not only avoids creating a new government program or increasing taxes, but also gives the entire citizenry more influence in the economy.Corporations have a huge influence on the life of every citizen--this book offers a visionary but practical plan to give every citizen a say in how corporations are run while also gaining some supplemental income. It lays out a clear approach that uses the mechanisms of the private market to hold corporations accountable to the public.This would happen through the creation of what the authors call the Universal Fund, a kind of national, democratic, mega mutual fund. Every American over eighteen would be entitled to a share and would participate in directing its share voting choices. Corporations and wealthy individuals would donate stocks, bonds, cash, or other assets to the fund just like they do to other philanthropic ventures now. The fund would pay out dividends to its citizen-shareholders that would grow as the fund grows.The Universal Fund is undoubtedly a big idea, but it is also eminently practical: it uses the tools of capitalism, not government, to give all citizens a direct influence on corporate actions. It would be a major institutional investor beholden not to a small elite group of stockholders pushing for short-term gain but to everyone. The fund would reward corporations that made sure their actions didn't harm people, communities, and the environment, and it would enable them to invest in innovations that would take more than a few months to pay off. Which is another reason corporations would donate to the fund--they could be freed from the constant pressure to maximize their quarterly share price and would essentially be subsidized for doing good.The authors demonstrate that our current economic rules force corporations to be shortsighted and even destructive because for most large investors, nothing matters but share price. The Universal Fund is designed to be a powerful positive balancing force, making the world a better place and the United States a better nation.

She never thought she'd have to face her husband's death twice. She was wrong. Connie Keyes has finally found some peace. After refining her capacity to communicate with ghosts and embracing her intuitive talents, she's reconciled to spending her days helping confused wayward spirits. But her new life changes in an instant after a friend is falsely accused of murder... Certain her buddy committed the act in self-defense, Connie worries something ominous could be pulling shady strings. But when a sinister force abducts her talking cat and sets its sights on her ghost husband, the purposeful existence she worked so hard to create turns into a living nightmare. Can this caring woman bring back her loved ones and restore justice before her world shatters? Dead Locks is the spine-tingling fourth book in the Extra-Ordinary Midlife paranormal women's fiction series. If you like heroines reinventing themselves, slightly scary situations, and a little snark, then you'll love Lynn M. Stout's supernatural story.

高管、投资人、财经报道，甚至是学校的教科书，都在高唱“股东价值大化”的圣歌；本书的作者，公司法专家琳恩?斯托特却打破了这看似欢愉的宁静，揭穿了“公司法赋予股东至上”之谜。斯托特论述了股东价值思想是如何危害到投资人，迫使管理者目光短浅地聚焦短期利益，抑制投资和创新，使企业变得粗鄙、缺乏社会公德心和不靠谱的。她也由此触摸到了公司的“初心”，即更好地满足投资人、企业和社会的需求。

It should have perished in the fire. Instead, she's being stalked by evil. Anna still suffers from the traumas of her childhood. She takes solace from fond memories of an imaginary friend who helped guard her mind from the horrors. But when a worried voice whispers increasingly persistent warnings in her head, she fears pain is set to return with a vengeance. Unnerved by dark threats to her own daughter, Anna rips away the carefully constructed lies in a desperate search for the truth. And as the curse that's plagued her family for generations rears its head, the terrifying reality of her make-believe companion shatters her world forever. Can she trust the wounded voice or is it the ugly source of all her nightmares? Familiar Whispers is the chilling first book in the Not Safe at Home series. If you enjoy twisted tales of defeated demons, haunted houses, and psychic sisters, you'll love May Black's paranormal domestic thriller.This book was previously published as Evil Follows. Only the cover, title and author have changed.

Jody protects everyone. Catch a killer, defeat a demon, rescue a friend - completely in her wheelhouse. When she meets a young girl trapped in the cycle of a centuries old curse, she's ready to spring into action and drop everything to help. Until she discovers she is also in the crosshairs. Forced into introspection, she discovers the disturbing truth of her past lurking beyond the shadows. She must fight harder than ever to protect those she loves, and defy the demands of a desperate demon. Is love enough to help her escape the alluring clutches of the past in time to save the innocent souls of the present? If you enjoy twisted tales of strong women defeating evil, domestic thrillers with a touch of the paranormal, and a little humor sprinkled throughout, you'll love May Black's Again and Again . This book was previously published as Once Again . Only the author and cover have changed.

She sees murders in her sleep. She might be married to a serial killer. And now her cat is possessed... It hasn't been a good year for Dolly. The young bride thought she was making all the right decisions. Then her nightmares began playing out in real life. Alone and out of options, she accepts help from a stranger with an unusual solution. One that could either save her life or lead to a catastrophic disaster. Can she overcome her demons, real and imagined, before she loses her soul? If you enjoy twisted tales of strong women defeating evil, domestic thrillers with a touch of the supernatural, and a little humor sprinkled throughout, you'll love May Black's Silent Screams today! This book was previously published as The Unheard. Only the cover, title, and pen name have changed.