Total Governance

Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Forthcoming Work

Abstract

Everyone has values which conflict with the sheer maximization of profit. When those conflicts occur, virtually no one will consistently choose profit over conflicting values, especially when the potential profit is small or conflicts with other economic values, promoting the common good or preserving a functioning ecosphere. This Article explores a multi-stakeholder approach that will increase the quantum of humanity in the governance of American large public companies, in the era of social media and on-line communication. We dub this crowd-based strategy of steering public corporations "total governance." Total governance allows individuals to engage with public corporations from multiple angles: as investors, employees, on-line activists, community members, and consumers. Individuals can have multiple roles and stakes in a firm, including as shareholders, consumers, or employees. Moreover, those individuals can ally with other individuals with the same or different roles and stakes in the firm to participate in the governance of the corporation. The diffusion of technologies and social media, facilitating on-line communications on a global scale, enables coordination and stakeholder coalitions.

Publication Title

Journal of Corporation Law

Volume

50

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