Does shareholder culture matter?

Finally, it seems, the long tussle between Arcelor and Mittal is being resolved. The concept of management culture is a familiar one, and the challenge of merging very different management cultures has long been recognized as a risk factor affecting the success of a merger. But do shareholder cultures matter in a similar way? Judged by the voting-rights provisions in their articles of association, Arcelor and Mittal occupy opposite ends of the prevailing spectrum of governance structures, so the merger, if it is consummated, will offer a good test.

Peter Marsh, "Arcelor succumbs to Mittal," Financial Times (U.S. edition), 26 June 2006, 1.