Add to ORKGIn this research-paper we evaluate how corporate control around the world is defined and which variables, related to a firm's characteristics and the countries' infrastructures, influence this. We find that there is a small number of countries where firms are widely held. The role of financial institutions seems to be different in civil and common law-based countries. While they seem to act as a monitor of management in common law-based countries, in civil law countries they act as a monitor of large shareholders. Finally, we find that firm's size is the most important determinant of ultimate owners