A publication on Mittelstand firms by Venohr, Fear and Witt (2015) highlights that: "These companies are predominantly run by classic “owner-entrepreneurial families” (Unternehmerfamilien) seeking to sustain the business by instituting a core ideology of longevity, conservative long-term financing, and operating practices."[1] The Mittelstand acts as a counterpoint to a singular focus on shareholder value and dispersed investor-orientated shareholding.