1980s Quote by Robert Reich

“One study of corporate mergers and acquisitions—some of the highest-stakes decisions executives make—showed that 83% failed to create any value for shareholders.”

— Chip Heath

Shareholders are sort of like cats; they get herded around, and they follow the leader. With the exception of a few activist shareholders, there…

— Andrew Ross Sorkin

As president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, I have seen private equity firms plunder company after company, taking rich fees for themselves and…

— James P. Hoffa

I have seen the Raiders develop into what they are today.

— Jim Otto

Management has failed miserably at creating increased value for shareholders. Indeed, despite some recent short-term gains, which actually only put us back where we…

— Roy O. Disney

Takeovers wouldn't cause the stock market to rise unless there is an upward reassessment of earnings (potential). People are more optimistic and confident about…

— Lawrence Summers

Everyone has the idea of owning good companies. The problem is that they have high prices in relations to assets and earnings, and that…

— Charlie Munger

Then, in the 1980's, came the paroxysm of downsizing, and the very nature of the corporation was thrown into doubt. In what began almost…

— Barbara Ehrenreich

As the corporation's size and power grew, so did the need to assuage people's fears of it. The corporation suffered its first full-blown legitimacy…

— Joel Bakan

For decades, activist shareholders were an entertaining, but largely ignored, Wall Street sideshow. Disgruntled investors would attend annual meetings to harangue executives, criticize strategies…

— Charles Duhigg

“Stop Destroying Shareholder Value”

— Miles Anthony Smith

The principal reason, invariably, most "successful" giant companies rather quickly become also-rans, or just amorphous blobs on the competitive landscape, is their failure to…

— Tom Peters