The Effects of Founder and Family Ownership on Hired CEOs’ Incentives and Firm Performance

Although large owners monitor managers effectively, they differ in important ways. Whereas founder owners focus on firm performance, family owners also pursue socioemotional goals. We leverage this distinction to theorize that family owners offer hired CEOs more incentive pay—to attract nonfamily CEOs, signal good governance, and achieve better firm performance. Without socioemotional wealth distractions, founder owners do not need high...