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The impact of limited liability on ownership and control: Irish banking, 1877–19141

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  • GRAEME G. ACHESON
  • JOHN D. TURNER

Abstract

Limited liability is regarded as the sine qua non of the modern company, enabling firms to raise capital from a broad spectrum of investors who have well‐diversified portfolios. This article uses the ownership records of an Irish bank, which converted to limited liability in 1883, to explore the impact of introducing limited liability upon ownership and control. We find that ownership becomes more dispersed amongst individuals from a broader social and geographical spectrum. However, there appears to be little impact on portfolio diversification. Furthermore, although limited liability appears to contribute to the rise of the professional director, the evidence suggests that managerial incentives may have been weakened.

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  • Graeme G. Acheson & John D. Turner, 2006. "The impact of limited liability on ownership and control: Irish banking, 1877–19141," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 59(2), pages 320-346, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ehsrev:v:59:y:2006:i:2:p:320-346
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0289.2006.00348.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Acheson Graeme G. & Hickson Charles R & Turner John D, 2010. "Does Limited Liability Matter? Evidence From Nineteenth-Century British Banking," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 6(2), pages 247-273, December.
    2. Howard Bodenhorn, 2011. "Partnership fragility and credit costs," NBER Working Papers 16689, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Ilgmann, Cordelius, 2011. "The advent of corporate limited liability in Prussia 1843," CAWM Discussion Papers 46, University of Münster, Münster Center for Economic Policy (MEP).
    4. Jenter, Dirk & Aldunate, Felipe & Korteweg, Arthur & Koudijs, Peter, 2021. "Shareholder Liability and Bank Failure," CEPR Discussion Papers 16309, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    5. Janette Rutterford & David R. Green & Josephine Maltby & Alastair Owens, 2011. "Who comprised the nation of shareholders? Gender and investment in Great Britain, c. 1870–1935," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 64(1), pages 157-187, February.
    6. Paolo Maggioni, 2011. "The introduction of limited liability in nineteenth century England," Openloc Working Papers 1116, Public policies and local development.
    7. Richard S. Grossman & Masami Imai, 2011. "Contingent Capital and Bank Risk-Taking among British Banks before World War I," Wesleyan Economics Working Papers 2011-003, Wesleyan University, Department of Economics.
    8. Grodecka, Anna & Kotidis, Antonis, 2016. "Double Liability in a Branch Banking System: Historical Evidence from Canada," Working Paper Series 316, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
    9. Bargeron, Leonce & Lehn, Kenneth, 2017. "Limited liability and share transferability: An analysis of California firms, 1920–1940," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 451-468.
    10. Howard Bodenhorn, 2015. "Double Liability at Early American Banks," NBER Working Papers 21494, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Salter, Alexander W. & Veetil, Vipin & White, Lawrence H., 2017. "Extended shareholder liability as a means to constrain moral hazard in insured banks," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 153-160.

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