Introduction to the Point‐Counterpoint: The Corporate Objective as a Contingency

Abstract

In this introduction to the Point‐Counterpoint on the corporate objective, I briefly review and reflect on three views of the corporate objective presented in the exchange. I argue that each perspective – the shareholder value model, the stakeholder management perspective, and the strategic corporate governance framework – has merit in its own right, but that their relevance is contingent on the theoretical and practical contexts in which they are applied, assessed and evaluated. From a theoretical perspective, the choice of which model best fits depends upon whether one is looking through a normative, instrumental, or descriptive lens. From a practical vantage, the relevance and applicability of each of these corporate objectives is contingent on the national institutional context as well as the individual corporation’s relevant sector and industry, its strategy, and its leaders’ vision. In fact, there is no one corporate objective; rather the objective is variable based on a range of conceptual lenses and contextual factors and influences.