FRANKFURT/BERLIN : Volkswagen's plans to close plants in Germany and dissolve long-standing labour agreements with unions have put the spotlight on its unique governance and ownership structure that have drawn criticism from investors for years. Like other German conglomerates, the 87-year-old automaker is the result of decades of expansion and strategy shifts, resulting in an empire that stretches from mass-market SEATs to luxury Lamborghinis, as well as stakes in sports car maker Porsche AG