The Reaction of Corporate Growth Strategies to Systems Change : THE CASE OF THE 2008-2009 GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS

A crisis considered by many as the worst since the Great Depression, and the first at the scale of a globalized world, reached in 2008 the world financial systems and global economy. Will this key point in history bring new rules for business? How will it affect firm corporate growth strategies? In this study we developed a research based on two key consequences that come out from this crisis: (1) new regulatory systems; and (2) new stakeholder perceptions on managerial practice. We evaluate the impact that a business environmental change is likely to have in corporate growth strategies. We find that the debt cost, the long term executive remuneration schemes and the shareholder risk aversion are likely to increase in the "new normal" business environment. The conclusions are likely to originate new benchmarks for financial investors, so that the evaluation on public firms s performance may be adjusted to a new set of indicators. Finding the correct firm positioning in the start of a new business environment is key. This study will support new benchmarks and managerial sight over the long term firm competitiveness and success.