This volume explores the field of corporate law scandal research. It outlines the subject matter, objectives, and methods of this area of inquiry. Ten case studies from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland illustrate how corporate scandals emerge and how supervisory authorities, courts, and legislators respond to them.
Corporate scandals are catalysts for change. They constitute a rewarding subject of foundational corporate law research, as legislators often respond to them with far-reaching reforms. This volume introduces the field of corporate law scandal research. It explains its objectives and methods and presents a brief phenomenology of different types of scandals. Ten case studies from the more distant, recent, and most recent past then illustrate how corporate scandals unfold. They originate from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and range from banking and financial scandals to the collapse of industrial enterprises and large-scale, organized tax fraud. Their names have become firmly embedded in the collective memory of corporate, capital markets, banking, accounting, and business law: Bremer Vulkan, Cum/Ex, Volkswagen and Wirecard, Swissair and Credit Suisse, Creditanstalt 1931, Commerzialbank Mattersburg, and Hypo Alpe-Adria. Each case is examined in detail: Who are the actors publicly accused of wrongdoing? Who brought the actual or alleged misconduct to public attention? How did the media cover the case? What sanctions were imposed by supervisory authorities and courts? How did legislators respond? And have the reforms prompted by these scandals stood the test of time, or have they ultimately proved unsuccessful?
