Alternative Organizing Models and Ownership Structures
摘要
Alternative organizing models such as B Corporations represent a structural response to the limits of shareholder capitalism and symbolic CSR. B Corps—certified by the nonprofit B Lab—embed legal commitments to all stakeholders and must meet rigorous impact standards across governance, workers, community, environment, and customers. The movement emerged from critiques of financialized, shareholder-centric corporations and from small, privately held firms seeking authentic, purpose-driven identities. Research shows firms join the B Corp movement either to challenge profit-maximizing business norms or to validate the authenticity of their sustainability efforts, creating tensions when multinationals seek certification. Beyond B Corps, private equity firms can play a powerful role in advancing stakeholder capitalism due to their ownership control, board influence, operational visibility, and longer time horizons. Additional ownership structures—employee ownership, enterprise foundations, and equity crowdfunding—offer promising pathways for aligning firm purpose with societal interests, promoting long-term value creation, and addressing inequality and short-termism.