Agency Theory Unlocking Principal Agent Dynamics in Finance

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Agency Theory is an economic and management theory that explores the issues of information asymmetry and conflicts of interest in principal-agent relationships. A principal-agent relationship typically involves a principal (such as a shareholder) hiring an agent (such as a manager) to perform a task or manage an asset. Due to differences in goals and risk preferences between the principal and the agent, and the agent often having more information than the principal, the agent may act in ways that are not in the best interest of the principal. Agency Theory examines how incentive mechanisms and contract arrangements can be designed to mitigate these conflicts of interest and issues arising from information asymmetry.

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