Discrimination, Manager, and Firm Performance: Evidence from "Aryanizations" in Nazi Germany
Chicago Booth Research Paper No. 20-50
University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Working Paper No. 2020-171
86 Pages Posted: 1 Dec 2020 Last revised: 2 Dec 2020
Date Written: November 1, 2020
Abstract
Large-scale increases in discrimination can lead to dismissals of highly qualified managers. We investigate how expulsions of senior Jewish managers, due to rising discrimination in Nazi Germany, affected large corporations. Firms that lost Jewish managers experienced persistent reductions in stock prices, dividends, and returns on assets. Aggregate market value fell by roughly 1.8 percent of German GNP because of the expulsions. Managers who served as key connectors to other firms and managers who were highly educated were particularly important for firm performance. The findings imply that individual managers drive firm performance. Discrimination against qualified business leaders causes first-order economic losses.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation