On May 21st, Sociology Professor Frank Dobbin from Harvard University spoke at Wuhan University’s Luojia Forum in a lecture entitled Revolution of Shareholder Value and Crisis in 2008.Professor Dobbin, starting from an economic crisis in 1870s, introduced the origin of shareholder value as a solution to the crisis. He explained that agency theory helped illustrate conflicts of interests between managers and owner-shareholders and incentives could be provided to align their interests. Professor Dobbin further clarified his argument by analyzing institutional investor decisions and providing supporting diagrams.

After the lecture, Professor Dobbin exchanged views with faculty and students on economics and sociology.

During his stay at WHU, Professor Dobbin has been involved in a series of academic activities including conducting an academic report Does Diversified Management Bring Diversity—Females, Black African, Latino, Asian People in American Enterprises in the Department of Sociology.

Frank Dobbin is a renowned professor of economic sociology and he has published on areas such as the spread of markets, industrial strategy and political development and organizational theory.