[tsotha]

>However a key point that is often missed is that there is very little that shareholders can do to force CEOs to do their bidding. In spite of a lot of talk about activist shareholders, the only real discipline that management face is the thread of being bought out.

Eh? Shareholders elect the board, and the CEO serves at the pleasure of the board. The shareholders can absolutely do something to force the CEO to do their bidding - they can fire him. It happens all the time.

[yetanotherphd]

Yes, it does indeed happen occasionally. However, such actions are relatively rare, hence the term "wall street walk" for large block holders selling their shares when they are unhappy with management, rather than trying to influence them.