Publications
Publications
- February 2008 (Revised February 2009)
- HBS Case Collection
Spiegel-Verlag Rudolf Augstein GmbH & Co. KG
By: Belen Villalonga, Daniela Beyersdorfer and Vincent Dessain
Abstract
Der Spiegel is Germany's most influential political news magazine. In the 1970s, its founder Rudolf Augstein gave a 50% ownership stake to his employees and sold another 25% to rival publisher Gruner+Jahr, but retained significant control during his lifetime by stipulating in the bylaws that every important business decision would require a 76% shareholder approval. When Augstein died in 2002, however, his co-owners exercised the option the same bylaws gave them to buy a 0.5% stake each from Augstein's heirs, who thus lost their veto rights. In September 2007, the benefits and costs of sharing ownership with employees became particularly salient when the employees block the CEO's proposal to acquire 50% of the Financial Times Deutschland. Faced with the new balance of power, Rudolf's eldest son Jakob Augstein is forced to rethink the role that his family can play in Spiegel going forward. Should he try to buy back the pivotal stake? Sell the family stake altogether? But to whom, and at what price?
Keywords
Family Business; Governance Controls; Employee Ownership; Family Ownership; Business and Shareholder Relations; Journalism and News Industry; Publishing Industry; Germany
Citation
Villalonga, Belen, Daniela Beyersdorfer, and Vincent Dessain. "Spiegel-Verlag Rudolf Augstein GmbH & Co. KG." Harvard Business School Case 208-096, February 2008. (Revised February 2009.)