Existing literature and theories related to the separation of ownership and control and its impact on companies' financial performance, including dividend payment have left this subject in state of ambiguity and uncleamess, with various contradictions and inconsistencies being noted. In order to establish whether there is a significant difference in financial performance between owner-controlled and management-controlled companies in South Africa, as a result of the separation of ownership and control, this study has used appropriate mathematical and statistical methods for data processing and analysis. Results obtained from the study have revealed the existence of a significant difference in financial performance between owner-controlled and management-controlled companies in South Africa, as measured in terms of profitability, asset management, liquidity, leverage and dividend payment. The analysis has indicated that management-controlled companies have been more efficient, more mature financially and paying higher dividends, out of earnings available to shareholders, than their owner-controlled counterparts. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Existing literature and theories related to the separation of ownership and control and its impact on companies' financial performance, including dividend payment have left this subject in state of ambiguity and uncleamess, with various contradictions and inconsistencies being noted. In order to establish whether there is a significant difference in financial performance between owner-controlled and management-controlled companies in South Africa, as a result of the separation of ownership and control, this study has used appropriate mathematical and statistical methods for data processing and analysis. Results obtained from the study have revealed the existence of a significant difference in financial performance between owner-controlled and management-controlled companies in South Africa, as measured in terms of profitability, asset management, liquidity, leverage and dividend payment. The analysis has indicated that management-controlled companies have been more efficient, more mature financially and paying higher dividends, out of earnings available to shareholders, than their owner-controlled counterparts. / Business Management / M. Comm. (Business Management)

Agência Nacional do Petróleo / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / O tema a respeito do financiamento da exploração e produção de petróleo, gás natural e outros hidrocarbonetos fluidos nas áreas do Pré-Sal tem sido motivo de debate entre estudiosos e profissionais da área. No novo regime de exploração e produção previsto na Lei n 12.351/2010, a Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) será a operadora de todos os blocos contratados, ou seja, responsável pela condução e execução, direta ou indireta, de todas as atividades de exploração, avaliação, desenvolvimento, produção e desativação das instalações de exploração e produção. Tal incumbência legal, por si só, denota o volume de investimentos que a Petrobras deverá realizar nos próximos anos, seja com recursos próprios ou de terceiros, para exploração dessas novas áreas descobertas. Ademais, as sociedades contratadas para empreender as operações exploratórias também necessitarão de recursos, uma vez que, junto com a Petrobras, assumirão os custos e os investimentos referentes às atividades de exploração, avaliação, desenvolvimento, fabricação e desativação das instalações de exploração e produção decorrentes dos contratos de partilha. As debêntures conversíveis em ações apresentam-se como uma alternativa viável para a captação de recursos financeiros, além de proporcionarem vantagens, se comparadas com outras formas de financiamento, como empréstimos junto a instituições financeiras e aumento de capital, uma vez que é a companhia emissora responsável por decidir, por exemplo, a data e prazo de vencimento das debêntures e a forma de remuneração dos subscritores de tais títulos. O novo regime legal das debêntures, instituído pela Lei n 12.431/2011, também veio a facilitar o uso desse instrumento para financiar as atividades de produção e exploração de petróleo, gás natural e outros hidrocarbonetos fluidos nas áreas do Pré-Sal. A Petrobras, mesmo enquanto sociedade de economia mista, poderá emitir debêntures conversíveis em ações, observadas algumas regras para a manutenção do seu controle pela União. / The financing of oil, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons exploration and production in the Pre Sal areas has currently been a debated matter among scholars and professionals. Under the new exploration and production regime set forth in Law No. 12.351/2010, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) will act as an operator of all contracted blocks, thus, it shall be responsible for the direct or indirect management and performance of all of the activities related to the exploration, evaluation, development, production and deactivation of the exploration and production facilities. This legal arrangement by itself denotes the volume of investments that Petrobras is expected to achieve, through the use of its own resources, in the coming years. Moreover, the companies contracted to perform the exploration activities will also be in need of a large amount of resources, since they, alongside with Petrobras, will bear the costs and expenses arising out of the exploration, evaluation, development, production and deactivation of the exploration and production facilities in connection with the sharing contracts. Convertible debentures present themselves as a feasible alternative to obtain the required financial resources in the securities exchange market, as well as are also more advantageous than other capitalization mechanisms, such as traditional bank loans or capital underwriting share subscriptions, since the issuing company is responsible for deciding, e.g., the debenture maturity date and the way that its underwriters will be remunerated. The new legal regime of the debentures, established by Law No. 12.431/2011, was also created to simplify the use of this instrument in order to finance the production and the exploration of oil, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons in the Pre Sal areas. Despite being a government-controlled company, Petrobras will be able to issue convertible debentures, provided that it complies with the rules related to its control by the government.

Agência Nacional do Petróleo / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / O tema a respeito do financiamento da exploração e produção de petróleo, gás natural e outros hidrocarbonetos fluidos nas áreas do Pré-Sal tem sido motivo de debate entre estudiosos e profissionais da área. No novo regime de exploração e produção previsto na Lei n 12.351/2010, a Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) será a operadora de todos os blocos contratados, ou seja, responsável pela condução e execução, direta ou indireta, de todas as atividades de exploração, avaliação, desenvolvimento, produção e desativação das instalações de exploração e produção. Tal incumbência legal, por si só, denota o volume de investimentos que a Petrobras deverá realizar nos próximos anos, seja com recursos próprios ou de terceiros, para exploração dessas novas áreas descobertas. Ademais, as sociedades contratadas para empreender as operações exploratórias também necessitarão de recursos, uma vez que, junto com a Petrobras, assumirão os custos e os investimentos referentes às atividades de exploração, avaliação, desenvolvimento, fabricação e desativação das instalações de exploração e produção decorrentes dos contratos de partilha. As debêntures conversíveis em ações apresentam-se como uma alternativa viável para a captação de recursos financeiros, além de proporcionarem vantagens, se comparadas com outras formas de financiamento, como empréstimos junto a instituições financeiras e aumento de capital, uma vez que é a companhia emissora responsável por decidir, por exemplo, a data e prazo de vencimento das debêntures e a forma de remuneração dos subscritores de tais títulos. O novo regime legal das debêntures, instituído pela Lei n 12.431/2011, também veio a facilitar o uso desse instrumento para financiar as atividades de produção e exploração de petróleo, gás natural e outros hidrocarbonetos fluidos nas áreas do Pré-Sal. A Petrobras, mesmo enquanto sociedade de economia mista, poderá emitir debêntures conversíveis em ações, observadas algumas regras para a manutenção do seu controle pela União. / The financing of oil, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons exploration and production in the Pre Sal areas has currently been a debated matter among scholars and professionals. Under the new exploration and production regime set forth in Law No. 12.351/2010, Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras) will act as an operator of all contracted blocks, thus, it shall be responsible for the direct or indirect management and performance of all of the activities related to the exploration, evaluation, development, production and deactivation of the exploration and production facilities. This legal arrangement by itself denotes the volume of investments that Petrobras is expected to achieve, through the use of its own resources, in the coming years. Moreover, the companies contracted to perform the exploration activities will also be in need of a large amount of resources, since they, alongside with Petrobras, will bear the costs and expenses arising out of the exploration, evaluation, development, production and deactivation of the exploration and production facilities in connection with the sharing contracts. Convertible debentures present themselves as a feasible alternative to obtain the required financial resources in the securities exchange market, as well as are also more advantageous than other capitalization mechanisms, such as traditional bank loans or capital underwriting share subscriptions, since the issuing company is responsible for deciding, e.g., the debenture maturity date and the way that its underwriters will be remunerated. The new legal regime of the debentures, established by Law No. 12.431/2011, was also created to simplify the use of this instrument in order to finance the production and the exploration of oil, natural gas and other fluid hydrocarbons in the Pre Sal areas. Despite being a government-controlled company, Petrobras will be able to issue convertible debentures, provided that it complies with the rules related to its control by the government.