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Key Human Capital

Author

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  • Israelsen, Ryan D.
  • Yonker, Scott E.

Abstract

Firms whose human capital is concentrated in a few irreplaceable employees lack diversification in their human capital stock, exposing them to key human capital risk. Using disclosures of “key man life insurance” to measure this risk, we show that exposed firms are riskier. These younger, smaller, growth firms have abnormally high volatility, and following announcement of key employee departures, the most exposed firms lose 8% of their value. Key employees tend to be highly educated. They are four times more likely to hold PhD degrees than top managers, and firms with key human capital are more innovative.

Suggested Citation

  • Israelsen, Ryan D. & Yonker, Scott E., 2017. "Key Human Capital," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(1), pages 175-214, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:52:y:2017:i:01:p:175-214_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Alper Darendeli & Kelvin K. F. Law & Michael Shen, 2022. "Green new hiring," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 986-1037, September.
    2. Nie, Pu-yan & Wang, Chan & Chen, Zi-yue & Chen, You-hua, 2018. "A theoretic analysis of key person insurance," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 272-278.
    3. Habib, Ahsan & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur, 2019. "Corporate life cycle research in accounting, finance and corporate governance: A survey, and directions for future research," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 188-201.
    4. Edward D. Van Wesep & Brian Waters, 2022. "Bonus Season: A Theory of Periodic Labor Markets and Coordinated Bonuses," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(7), pages 5464-5492, July.
    5. Koray Sayili, 2020. "Retaining skilled employees: A human capital model with innovation and entrepreneurship," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(6), pages 911-923, September.
    6. Gurun, Umit G. & Stoffman, Noah & Yonker, Scott E., 2021. "Unlocking clients: The importance of relationships in the financial advisory industry," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(3), pages 1218-1243.
    7. Allen H. Huang & Jianghua Shen & Amy Y. Zang, 2022. "The unintended benefit of the risk factor mandate of 2005," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(4), pages 1319-1355, December.
    8. Adrian, Christofer & Garg, Mukesh & Viet Pham, Anh & Phang, Soon-Yeow & Truong, Cameron, 2022. "Policy and oversight of corporate political activities and the cost of equity capital," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(2).
    9. Yue Qiu & Tracy Yue Wang, 2021. "Skilled Labor Risk and Corporate Policies [The growth of low skill service jobs and the polarization of the U.S. labor market]," The Review of Corporate Finance Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 10(3), pages 437-472.
    10. Brian Akins & David De Angelis & Maclean Gaulin, 2020. "Debt Contracting on Management," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(4), pages 2095-2137, August.

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