Definition
Stockholder (Ro.: acţionar, Gr.: μέτοχος, Cz.: akcionář) (See also: shareholder, stakeholder, bondholder, stocks, shares, private company, public company) = a general term denominating a natural or a legal person who has a title of ownership over a share of stock in either a public or a private company.
Stockholder and shareholder are often used as synonyms, given the slight difference between the two terms (shareholder only refers to limited liability companies). Stakeholder, however, differs from both stockholder and shareholder, as it describes a person who does not necessarily have a title of ownership, but with an interest in the company.
Useful links
Legislation
http://www.cdep.ro/legislatie/eng/vol32eng.pdf - Romania, Law on trading companies no. 31/1990, translated into English; Law on trading register no. 26/1990, translated into English
http://www.libertas-institut.com/de/MK/nationallaws/Trade_companies.pdf – Macedonia, Law on trade companies, translated into English
http://www.mit.gov.jo/portals/0/tabid/502/Companies%20Law.aspx – Jordan, The companies’ Law no. 22/1997, translated into English
http://www.trade.gov.mv/downloads/4dbe5307765de_Company%20Act%20%28English%29.pdf – Maldive, The companies’ Act no. 10/1996, translated into English (unofficial translation)
http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=98894 – South Africa, Companies Act no. 71/2008
Publications
Pettet, B.G., 2005, Company law, 2nd ed., Pearson Education Limited
Griffin, S., 2006, Company law: fundamental principles, 4th ed., Pearson Education Limited
http://hbr.org/2012/07/what-good-are-shareholders - What good are shareholders?, Harvard Business Review
http://www.jstor.org/stable/258887 - The Stakeholder Theory of the Corporation: Concepts, Evidence, and Implications, The Academy of Management Review
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/01/050201.asp - Knowing your rights as a shareholder
By Andrada Rusan