Gryglewicz, SebastianMayer, SimonMorellec, Erwan2020-05-012020-05-012020-05-012020-06-0110.1016/j.jfineco.2019.12.003https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/168504WOS:000526811700006We build a dynamic agency model in which the agent controls both current earnings via short-term investment and firm growth via long-term investment. Under the optimal contract, agency conflicts can induce short- and long-term investment levels beyond first best, leading to short- or long-termism in corporate policies. The paper analytically shows how firm characteristics shape the optimal contract and the horizon of corporate policies, thereby generating a number of novel empirical predictions on the optimality of short-versus long-termism. It also demonstrates that combining short- and long-term agency conflicts naturally leads to asymmetric pay-for-performance in managerial contracts. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Business, FinanceEconomicsBusiness & Economicsoptimal short- and long-termismagency conflictsmultitaskingexecutive-compensationcontinuous-timeasymmetric benchmarkingcapital structuresecurity designdynamic agencystock-marketinvestmentcontractsmodeltext::journal::journal article::research article