How do conglomerates reduce the principal-agent problem?

Conglomerates can potentially mitigate the principal-agent problem through a couple of mechanisms:

Diversification: By operating in multiple industries, conglomerates can diversify their business risks. This reduced risk can align the interests of shareholders (principals) and managers (agents) by reducing the pressure on managers to take risky actions to achieve short-term profit goals.

Internal Capital Markets: Conglomerates have an internal capital market, allowing funds to be allocated efficiently among different divisions. This internal allocation of funds may reduce information asymmetry, a root cause of the principal-agent problem, as managers within the conglomerate have more precise information about the profitability and risk of internal projects.

Performance Evaluation and Monitoring: In a conglomerate, the performance of each business unit can be compared, and best practices can be shared. This benchmarking promotes competition among managers, driving them to improve performance. The conglomerate structure also allows for more effective monitoring of managers, reducing the chance of agents pursuing their own interests at the expense of principals.

Berkshire Hathaway: This American multinational conglomerate, headed by Warren Buffett, exemplifies how diversification and effective corporate governance can reduce the principal-agent problem. Berkshire Hathaway owns a diverse range of businesses, allowing it to spread risks and ensure stable returns for shareholders. Its governance approach involves trusting the managers of its subsidiary companies to run their businesses effectively, demonstrating the alignment of interests between principals and agents.

Tata Group: This Indian multinational conglomerate has effectively used internal capital markets and performance evaluation to reduce the principal-agent problem. By allocating resources internally and monitoring business unit performance, Tata Group aligns the interests of managers and shareholders and enhances overall corporate performance.