A new version of this entry is available:
Loading...
Article
2024
The economics of capital allocation in firms: Evidence from internal capital markets
The economics of capital allocation in firms: Evidence from internal capital markets
Abstract (English)
We analyze a unique chief financial officer (CFO) survey data set to examine capital allocation in firms. Top management is aware of agency and information problems at the divisional level and organizes the budgeting process to counteract managerial oppor- tunism, employing systems of interconnected measures, including layers of approval, divi- sional budgets, reporting requirements, and compensation schemes. When making funding decisions, top management relies heavily on top-level nonfinancial information, such as the assessment of divisional managers’ abilities. However, substantial parts of the capital bud- get do not require top management approval as firms trade off the benefits and costs of decentralization, thereby deviating from the traditional paradigm of decentralized project initiation but centralized project approval. Even firms with active internal capital markets tilt capital allocation toward relatively even distributions, reflecting the use of capital alloca- tion as a credible communication device. We also find that within-firm agency problems may result in capital rationing, that is, divisions’ restricted access to internal capital. CFOs also believe that integrating multiple businesses into an internal capital market results in tangible financial benefits, predominantly lower costs of capital and higher debt capacities. Thus, our findings also support coinsurance arguments suggesting that internal capital markets may improve access to external financing.
File is subject to an embargo until
This is a correction to:
A correction to this entry is available:
This is a new version of:
Notes
Publication license
Publication series
Published in
Management science (2024).
https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2021.02755.
ISSN: 1526-5501
Faculty
Institute
Examination date
Supervisor
Edition / version
Citation
DOI
ISSN
ISBN
Language
English
Publisher
Publisher place
Classification (DDC)
650 Management and public relations
Original object
Standardized keywords (GND)
Sustainable Development Goals
BibTeX
@article{Hoang2024,
url = {https://hohpublica.uni-hohenheim.de/handle/123456789/16906},
doi = {10.1287/mnsc.2021.02755},
author = {Hoang, Daniel and Gatzer, Sebastian and Ruckes, Martin et al.},
title = {The economics of capital allocation in firms: Evidence from internal capital markets},
journal = {Management Science},
year = {2024},
}