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Capital (Mis)allocation, Incentives and Productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Jan Schymik
  • Matthias Meier
  • Alexander Schramm
  • Alexander Schwemmer

Abstract

This paper studies how managerial pay shapes the allocation of capital within firms. We leverage quasi-experimental variation in the composition of managerial pay between cash bonuses and equity compensation. We find that a relative increase in cash bonuses leads firms to reallocate capital toward less durable investment projects. To rationalize the empirical evidence, we develop a quantitative model with agency frictions. In the model, a relative increase in cash bonuses strengthens managerial short-termism, which shifts the investment composition toward less durable projects. The observed change in managerial pay exacerbates within-firm capital misallocation and leads to a sizeable contraction in output.

Suggested Citation

  • Jan Schymik & Matthias Meier & Alexander Schramm & Alexander Schwemmer, 2025. "Capital (Mis)allocation, Incentives and Productivity," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2025_637, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2025_637
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    File URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp637
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investment; Firms; Managerial Pay; Capital Misallocation.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D25 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice: Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies

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