Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate document. Explain how y

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Directions: Answer the following questions on a separate document. Explain how you reached the answer or show your work if a mathematical calculation is needed, or both. Submit your assignment using the assignment link above.

Suppose you decide (as did Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg) to start a company. Your product is a software platform that integrates a wide range of media devices, including laptop computers, desktop computers, digital video recorders, and cell phones. Your initial market is the student body at your university. Once you have established your company and set up procedures for operating it, you plan to expand to other colleges in the area and eventually to go nationwide. At some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, you plan to go public with an IPO and then to buy a yacht and take off for the South Pacific to indulge in your passion for underwater photography. With these issues in mind, you need to answer for yourself, and potential investors, the following questions.

What is an agency relationship? When you first begin operations, assuming you are the only employee and only your money is invested in the business, would any agency conflicts exist? Explain your answer

If you expanded and hired additional people to help you, might that give rise to agency problems?

Suppose you need additional capital to expand and you sell some stock to outside investors. If you maintain enough stock to control the company, what type of agency conflict might occur?

Suppose your company raises funds from outside lenders. What type of agency costs might occur? How might lenders mitigate the agency costs?

Suppose your company is very successful and you cash out most of your stock and turn the company over to an elected board of directors. Neither you nor any other stockholders own a controlling interest (this is the situation at most public companies). List six potential managerial behaviors that can harm a firm’s value.

What is corporate governance? List five corporate governance provisions that are internal to a firm and are under its control.

What characteristics of the board of directors usually lead to effective corporate governance?

List three provisions in the corporate charter that affect takeovers.

Briefly describe the use of stock options in a compensation plan. What are some potential problems with stock options as a form of compensation?

What is block ownership? How does it affect corporate governance?

Briefly explain how regulatory agencies and legal systems affect corporate governance.

Explanation / Answer

Agency relationship is the relationship between Principal and Agent. In case of corporations it is the relationship between shareholders and the management. In a typical organization, the Principal delegates decision making power to the Agent to work on his/her behalf and for his/her interest.

When you first begin the operation and you are the only employee, there is not agency conflict. This is because you play the role of Principal and the Agency.

If you expand your business and hire additional help, that may give rise to agency problem. The new employees may focus on personal gain rather than the gain of the organization.

Selling stock to outsiders and keeping hold of enough stocks does not equate to an agency cost. Every shareholder is considered a principal. The only principal who is also an agency (in the case of fundraising from outside) is the founder. As a result there will likely be no agency conflict.

In case of raising funds from outside lenders, the lenders objective is to collect interest and the principal of the amount that was borrowed. As a result they may ask the management and the founding team to focus on short term goals to meet their demands. However, this may cause in losing out on the long term stable growth. You could mitigate this agency cost by issuing shares to the company rather than borrowing money for an interest.

Managerial behaviors that can harm a firm’s value are

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