Financialisation: Constructing shareholder value … for some

Abstract

Drawing from the theorising of Froud et al. [Froud J, Johal S, Papazian V, Williams K. The temptation of Houston: a case study of financialisation. Critical Perspectives on Accounting 2004;15(6–7):885–909] and Kripner [Krippner G. The financialisation of the American economy. Socio-Economic Review 2005;3:173–208] on financialisation, we explore the activities of New Zealand's largest listed company Telecom (NZ) Ltd. The success narrative produced by Telecom since its privatisation and listing in 1991 is centred on shareholder value. However, its financial reporting practices seem increasingly complicated and difficult to comprehend. Telecom's original off-shore investors reaped considerable returns on their investment and, until recently most investors in Telecom were domiciled outside New Zealand. Its production activities have remained concentrated in New Zealand where it holds a monopoly over an essential part of the country's communication infrastructure. This examination of Telecom's activities and financial reporting adds to the debate about financialisation by questioning the effects of the separation of production and accumulation on those where production is located. It also demonstrates the use of accounting and financial reporting practices to support a success narrative which results in resource transfers to those engaged in accumulation activities to the potential detriment of those involved in, or affected by, the company's production activities.