The relationship between CEO pay and performance has been much analyzed in the management and economics literature. This study analyzes the structure of executive compensation in family and non-family firms. In line with predictions of agency theory, it is found that the share of base salary is...

A large number of family firms employ non-family managers. This paper analyzes the optimal compensation contracts of non-family managers employed by family firms using principal-agent analysis. The model shows that the contracts should have low incentive levels in terms of short-term performance...

Prior economic research is very critical about family CEOs and family management. Nepotism, altruism, lower managerial abilities, and a small pool of qualified family candidates are cited as reasons that speak against family management. Still, the empirical reality is different. A surprisingly...