短视代理问题

Myopic Agency

Review of Economic Studies · 2017
被引 17
人大 A+FT50ABS 4*

中文导读

研究动态委托代理中代理人隐藏长期与短期行动选择的最优契约,发现基于连续高产记录的分层奖励结构,并对比传统偷懒模型,为奖金改革争论提供理论依据。

Abstract

I consider a dynamic principal-agent setting in which the agent repeatedly chooses between hidden long-term and short-term actions. Relative to the long-term action, the short-term action boosts output today but hurts output tomorrow. I explicitly characterize the optimal contract that always induces the long-term action. It features a cliff-like arrangement that rewards high output today based on the streak of consecutive high outputs the agent has generated leading up to today: The longer the streak, the larger the reward. The optimal contract can be implemented as a bonus bank. Bonus banks feature prominently in the recent debate on bonus reform. I shed light on the opposing arguments driving this debate by formally comparing the myopic agency optimal contract and optimal contracts that arise from traditional effort-shirking agency models.

短视代理动态委托代理最优契约奖金银行