Fortunately there is now (since 2012 in fact) a book that explains it very well in terms that almost anyone can understand, certainly anyone here on HN:
The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shareholder-Value-Myth-Shareholders-...
Don't even need to read it all, the first few chapters are more than enough IMHO
Fortunately there is now (since 2012 in fact) a book that explains it very well in terms that almost anyone can understand, certainly anyone here on HN:
The Shareholder Value Myth: How Putting Shareholders First Harms Investors, Corporations, and the Public http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shareholder-Value-Myth-Shareholders-...
Don't even need to read it all, the first few chapters are more than enough IMHO