Given higher-ups are either invested to some extent, or otherwise feel their prospects are aligned with the stock price because the investors will have them out

Given higher-ups are either invested to some extent, or otherwise feel their prospects are aligned with the stock price because the investors will have them out if it doesn't do well enough, so I'd say the considerations always involve shareholder value. It might not be the only factor, and sometimes other factors win out, but it is always a factor.