Sodesteri

Sodesteri (literally system, series, grouping of enterprises, family of enterprises) is a Caphiric Latin term to describe any set of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings that are run and controlled by a single owner or Estate in Caphiria. A Sodesterium is a central holding company that consists of many diversified affiliates, controlled by an owner whose power over the group often exceeds outside of the business community and into the political world.

In the legal sense, a Sodesterium is treated as a collection of individual private assets and are thus protected from most regulatory oversight. Because of this, Sodesteri can wield significant influence and control over significant parts of the Caphirian economy by forming alliances within the social world of Caphiria's business community. Sodesteri have maintained dominance over the Caphirian economy for the second half of the 20th century, and, to a lesser extent, continue to do so in the modern world.

Typically, companies within a Sodesterium will be minority shareholders in each other's companies through an indirectly-controlled bank (factacter), which helps insulate each company from stock market fluctuations and takeover attempts, thus enabling long-term planning in projects. Usage of a factacter means that a Sodesterium can have several industrial subsidiaries dominating specific sectors of a market, either solely, or through a number of subsidiary companies.

Antitrust laws have been enacted as a result of growing concerns about anti-competitive behaviors and practices, with some Sodesteri having gone to court over accusations of illegally maintaining its monopoly position in specific markets.