The cultural imperative

Investigates the shareholder value approach as a corporate management central objective. Alludes to the similar cultural patterns in other, well‐established economies of the English‐speaking world such as: Canada, New Zealand and Australia. Identifies three different approaches to corporate governance: the monistic Anglo‐American approach — regarding firms as owners' private property; the dualistic approach of Germany and France — prioritizing shareholders' interests but in which employees' interests are taken into account; and the pluralistic approach — peculiar to Japan — which assumes the firm belongs to its stakeholders. Uses figures to emphasize main points of interest such as would be deemed important within the sphere of this article.