←back to thread

1502 points JustSkyfall | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.248s | source
Show context
rowanG077 ◴[] No.45284045[source]
I love that large companies keep showing us more and more often why you really, really shouldn't rely on them.
replies(3): >>45284127 #>>45284198 #>>45284207 #
Waterluvian ◴[] No.45284127[source]
I’m sure smarter people have better terms for this but it feels like a sort of late stage capitalism thing where there’s really no room for anyone who first and foremost wants to do good things, at scale.

I’m curious now, what’s the largest company that’s clearly passing up additional revenue because they prefer to say, “nah we’re good. The current business model makes us enough money.”

replies(7): >>45284180 #>>45284187 #>>45284205 #>>45284224 #>>45284278 #>>45284456 #>>45284790 #
desultir ◴[] No.45284187[source]
I feel like any time a company goes public they lose the ability to pass up on revenue. The C-suite report to the board, who have a fiduciary duty to maximize profits.

Same with private VC/PE held companies. The board will replace the C-Suite if they aren't maximizing value.

You'd need to find a company which is huge but privately held by a group of people with only good intentions.

replies(1): >>45284411 #
1. triceratops ◴[] No.45284411[source]
> who have a fiduciary duty to maximize profits

* Fiduciary duty to act in shareholders' interests. This is not the same thing as "maximize profits".

Maximizing profits makes the stock price go up. That benefits the C-suite. Because they're paid in stock.

The board designs their compensation package that way because they figure "number go up" is the easiest way to show they're acting in shareholders' interests.