Good corporate governance should be the cornerstone of all company management. Directors ought to know in whose interests the company should be managed. This thesis attempts to answer the following question: whose interests must be granted primacy in the management of a company? In chapter 1 it is stated that shareholders' interests are traditionally granted primacy in the management of a company. There has, however, been a shift in public opinion towards recognition of a wider variety of interests that should be considered than only those of the shareholders. These interests include, inter alia, environmental interests and those of the investors, employees and consumers. This thesis thus focuses on the primary stakeholders, namely individual shareholders, creditors, employees, consumers and suppliers. In chapter 2 a theoretical foundation is provided on the nature of a company. The different theories on the nature of a company, emphasising either shareholder primacy or stakeholder protection, are discussed. A combined new theory is proposed. It is suggested that the confusion relating to the meaning of "the company" needs to be eliminated. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 provide an international comparison of the company law in Botswana, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The focus falls, firstly, on directors' duties, secondly, on the question in whose interests directors should manage a company and, thirdly, on the codification of their duties. In chapter 6 the South African position is evaluated. First, the possible stakeholders are identified and the protection currently afforded them is explained. The reports of the King Committee on Corporate Governance, the Policy Document on company law reform as well as the Companies Bill of 2007 are discussed. Draft clauses are recommended to be incorporated in new company legislation to provide directors with clarity on what is expected of them. It is the aim of this thesis to provide clarity on whose interests should receive primacy when directors manage a company. The outcome of this research should provide a clear indication to South African directors of what is expected of them and who the beneficiaries of their fiduciary duties are. / Law / LL.D.

The dissertation deals with legal, accounting and taxation aspects of liquidation of trading corporations. Based on an analysis, it evaluates aspects in the liquidation process of trading corporations under the conditions of the Czech Republic´s legislation. It provides an outline of the liquidation process and the liquidator´s activities, it points out legislative changes and hazard moments of the liquidation process.

Nos travaux, dans le prolongement de recherches envisageant l’harmonisation comptable internationale (IAS/IFRS) et la mise en place des indicateurs de Responsabilité Sociale de l’Entreprise (RSE) sous un angle processuel et « historico évolutif », tendent à s’en démarquer en recherchant les moyens d’analyser l’information issue du reporting financier (IAS/IFRS) et extra-financier (RSE) dispensée durant la période 2006-2010 par les sociétés cotées composant les indices boursiers français du CAC 40 et du SBF 120, d’une part, et allemands du DAX 30 et du DAX 100, d’autre part, et en substituant à une approche souvent inductive dans ce domaine une démarche hypothético-déductive. Ils mettent en regard, d’une part, les données recueillies et, d’autre part, les intérêts des actionnaires/investisseurs ainsi que de l’ensemble des parties prenantes de part et d’autre du Rhin, sur le fondement théorique de la théorie de l’agence et la théorie des parties prenantes. La méthode employée, à la fois quantitative et qualitative, vise d’abord à utiliser des outils de mesure se fondant sur des moyennes, médianes et analyses de régression combinant plusieurs variables exprimées pour l’essentiel sous la forme de ratios comptables et financiers (IAS/IFRS) ; cette mesure s’étend à un recensement de l’occurrence de mots dans les supports d’information extra-financière (rapports RSE et de développement durable). Puis à interroger les responsables administratifs et financiers en charge de l’application du référentiel IAS/IFRS ainsi que les responsables de la communication RSE et du développement durable des sociétés de notre panel, au moyen de questionnaires se fondant sur les outils de « logique floue ». Nous ne cherchons pas à mesurer l’incidence des normes IAS/IFRS et des indicateurs RSE ni sur la performance financière, ni en taux de retour sur la valeur boursière. Nous observons par nos résultats des nuances de perception des normes IAS/IFRS et des objectifs de RSE dans le reporting financier et extra-financier susceptibles d’être imputées à des facteurs socioculturels, et répondant à une gouvernance plus actionnariale en France qu’en Allemagne. / This study, in the extension of researches aimed at harmonising accounting internationally (IAS/IFRS) and implementing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) indicators from a processual and “historical evolutional” angle, tends to differ from them by focusing on the means to analyse the information issued from financial (IAS/IFRS) and extra-financial (CSR) reporting released during the 2006-2010 period by the listed companies which compose the French and German stock market indexes respectively CAC40/SBF120 and DAX30/DAX100, and replacing an oftentimes inductive approach in this field with a hypothetical and deductive process. It compares the collected data on the one hand, and the needs of shareholders/investors and third parties as a whole on the other hand, on either side of the Rhine, on the basis of the theoretical frame of the agency theory and the stakeholder theory.The method employed, which is both quantitative and qualitative, aims to do as follows. First use of tools for measuring based on averages, medians and regression studies combining many variables essentially expressed in the form of accounting and financial ratios (IAS/IFRS); this measure extends to the listing of words occurrence in the extra-financial information supports (CSR and sustainability reports). Then question the administrative and financial managers in charge of the application of the IAS/IFRS referential and the managers responsible for the CSR and sustainability communication within these companies we selected with reference to matrixes based on the “fuzzy logic” theory tools. We do not investigate the influence of IAS/IFRS standards/CSR indicators neither on financial performance nor in terms of expected return on the capital asset. We can observe that our results show nuances of perception of IAS/IFRS standards and CSR goals in the financial and extra-financial reporting that are likely to be attributed to socio-cultural factors, and reflecting a governance much more aimed at shareholders in France than in Germany.

Notre thèse développe une nouvelle méthode pour analyser les capitaux propres des banques, basée sur la distinction entre capital actionnarial (dit ‘shareholder equity’) et capital de l’entité bancaire (dit ‘entity equity’). Cette nouvelle mesure –du capital actionnarial permet de distinguer les capitaux propres bancaires effectivement apportés par les actionnaires. Cette mesure s’avère pertinente pour interpréter les transformations récentes de la relation entre actionnaires et entités bancaires. Elle identifie et comptabilise les transactions entre les entités bancaires et leurs actionnaires, en permettant ainsi : l'analyse des origines du capital bancaire et de son évolution ; l’impact des stratégies d'entreprise financiarisées qui cherchent à économiser l’apport en capital actionnarial ; une mesure améliorée du capital actionnarial prudentiel qui est censé apporter une protection contre les risques encourus et les pertes éventuelles. De nos jours, une tension fondamentale pèse sur les capitaux propres bancaires, entre les actionnaires demandant des politiques de distribution généreuses, et l’intérêt général qui nécessite d’un système bancaire stable et résilient. Cette tension entre les exigences des actionnaires et la constitution d’un capital actionnarial suffisant est documenté par notre analyse dans la période avant et après la crise financière globale. Nous analysons les capitaux propres de neuf banques européennes entre 2001 et 2015. Ces cas montrent des distributions importantes en faveur des actionnaires et au détriment des objectifs de solvabilité financière.Les apports des actionnaires aux capitaux propres de l'entité bancaire ainsi qu'au capital prudentiel ont été limités avant la crise, et ne s’améliorent que modestement après celle-là,malgré des injections nouvelles importantes. Nos résultats suggèrent que, à l'ère des stratégies d'entreprise financiarisées, des niveaux suffisants de capital bancaire de haute qualité sont essentiels pour protéger l'intérêt général et empêcher les banques de devenir des véhicules d'investissement financiarisés pour certains actionnaires. Cela amène à repenser les capitaux propres des banques dans la recherche d’un arrangement plus durable et soutenable avec leurs actionnaires. / The thesis introduces a new accounting method based upon the distinction between shareholder equity and the residual entity equity. Shareholder equity presents the actual contributions of shareholders to the bank entity. It allows for the analysis of bank’s equity position in light of a transformed idea of shareholding as experienced in recent years. The measure identifies and visualises equity transactions of banks relating to shareholders; and with it, allows for the analysis of the two main shaping forces of bank equity: financialized corporate strategy which seeks to economize the bank equity position; and regulatory capita lwhich provides a risk buffer to absorb eventual losses. Addressees of these two forces are shareholders who pressure banks to follow generous distribution policies and society at largewhich demands a safe and sound banking system. This trade-off between return to shareholders and a sufficient equity base is well documented in the pre-crisis and post-crisis period. Our analysis of shareholder equity position applies to nine European banks between 2001 and 2015. It reveals substantial distributions at the detriment of financial solvency concerns. Shareholder contributions to the bank entity as well as to regulatory capital werelimited in the pre-crisis period, with rather modest improvements in the post-crisis perioddespite substantial capital injections. Findings suggest that, in an era of financialized corporate strategy, sufficient levels of high quality capital are essential to safeguard general interest and prevent banks to become financial investment vehicles for their shareholders.

Thesis / The Companies Bill B61-2008 proposes to introduce appraisal rights into South African law. Appraisal entitles a shareholder to demand payment from the corporate issuer of his shares at a fair cash value in certain instances where major transactions which would change the company's direction have been proposed. It allows a cash exit rather than being coerced into supporting the majority's decision. Arriving at a fair share value is a challenge to appraisal. Presently, under the Personal action, a shareholder who opines that the company's act or omission is unfairly prejudicial or that its affairs are conducted in an unfairly prejudicial manner, may apply to court for an appropriate order. It enables the minority to challenge the majority's decision. Both remedies will be available to dissenting shareholders under the new dispensation and a shareholder must decide which remedy best suits his purposes. Appraisal should be seen as a last resort. / Law / LL.M. (Corporate Law)

The Companies Act 71 of 2008 (“2008 Companies Act”) will have far reaching effects on the manner in which a company is formed and operated under South African company law and in particular entrenches the procedure that must be followed by a company when acquiring its own shares. The radical amendment of the capital maintenance rules by the introduction of the solvency and liquidity tests to the Companies Act 61 of 1973 has been carried forward under the 2008 Companies Act. These tests impose an obligation on a company to ensure that the company is both solvent and liquid at the time of the acquisition of its own shares and for a stated period thereafter. The 2008 Companies Act further brings the duties and liabilities of the directors in line with their current fiduciary duties in terms of common law. / Mercantile Law / LLM

It is generally acknowledged that the share price of listed companies is not usually a true reflection of the value imbedded in the said companies. The main purpose of this study is to explore the correlation between selected performance measurement tools, namely Return on Equity (ROE) and Economic Value Added (EVA®), and the share price of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. The study is a quantitative one as it uses data extracted from McGregor BFA database to investigate the relationship between the variables studied. Correlation and linear regression analyses were used in determining such relationships. This study found that there is a synergy in using ROE and EVA® as performance measurement tools and that their interaction explains 8.06% of the movement in the share price of listed companies, all things being equal. Hence it is recommended to identify and study possible synergies between other performance measurement tools. / Management Accounting / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

The topic of graduation thesis is {\clqq}The Questions of Final Accounts and Statement of Balances in an Energy Company``. The idea of this graduation thesis is a representation of process of the final accounts and statement of balances in concrete company and adjustment of process of the change of conjectural items of assets. The graduation thesis has two parts. First part defined the basic concepts which are included in the final accounts and in the statement of balances. I pursue an individual preparation work in the statement of balances for instance, a stock taking, accounting of resources, rectifying items, reserves, time resolution of cost and revenues, conjectural items of assets etc. Further there it is dealt with statement of balances which represent balance, profit and loss statement, supplement, eventually a statement about cash flows and an overview of changes in the shareholders´ capital and include audit of the statement of balances. The second part of graduation thesis describes a process of the change of conjectural items of assets - especially not invoiced energy - and 2008 final account and statement of balances in the Energy Company E.ON Ditribuce, a.s.

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How authors and scholars have approached leadership studies – in terms of their thinking, defining and studying – has changed remarkably over time. According to literature, this is predominantly due to greater optimism about the field and greater methodological diversity being employed to better understand complex, embedded phenomena. As a result, there has been a significant rise in the use of qualitative research approaches to the study of leadership. Numerous definitions, classifications, explanations and theories about leadership, exist in the contemporary literature. However, despite the vast array of literature, the challenge of failing leadership persists. Challenges, such as the speed of technological advancements, social, and economic change are ever-present, while the impact of COVID-19 is, as yet, uncertain. Despite these challenges, can companies compete successfully in the marketplaces they operate in while also remaining ethical and engaged with the challenges of the broader business and social environment? To answer this question, this study has undertaken qualitative research on the bouquet of trait, situational and value-based leadership theory, in order to re-assess both established and developing theories. The predominant aim is to describe, explain and analyse available literature in an attempt to ascertain academic guidance on how it might be possible to enable leaders and society to mitigate leadership challenges by proposing a conceptual framework that could support leadership theory and, in so doing, take an academic stance in providing better answers or guidance to the failures currently being experienced. Several authors have noted that leadership makes a difference with resulting impacts on many which implies that to make the world a better place, leadership has two contradictory elements; good and bad. These elements are reflected in today’s connected world where the media, either showers praise on leaders or writes articles deriding their incompetence and abuse of their roles at all levels The proposed conceptual framework of this study endeavours to enable society and leaders, practically and at an individual level, to evaluate leadership issues and link leadership frameworks to their everyday lives and, in so doing, aid in mitigating the challenges being faced. / Business Management / D.B.L.