In fact, economic theories of firm behavior often stress the competing interests of management and ownership. With an ownership share in a business, every stock investor has a role in providing oversight on how that company is run.
The egregious corporate scandals in the headlines last year have highlighted the need for responsible oversight by corporate boards and shareholders alike to check the behavior of management. So, as we look for solutions to corporate governance problems, we should not forget that every individual who owns stock has a role - perhaps a small one, but an important one.