Oliver Hart of Harvard University and Bengt Holmstrom of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been awarded the 2016 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.
The announcement Monday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said their work in contract theory is "valuable to the understanding of real-life contracts and institutions, as well as potential pitfalls in contract design.''
"This year's laureates have developed contract theory, a comprehensive framework for analyzing many diverse issues in contractual design, like performance-based pay for top executives, deductibles and co-pays in insurance, and the privatization of public-sector activities," the jury said.
BREAKING 2016 Prize in Economic Sci. to Oliver Hart @Harvard & Bengt Holmström @MIT “for their contributions to contract theory” #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/xosZ27WVee
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2016
The committee added that they analytical work establishes an “intellectual foundation" to grasp every day contracts in areas like bankruptcy legislation to political constitutions.
"The new theoretical tools created by Hart and Holmstrom are valuable to the understanding of real-life contracts and institutions, as well as potential pitfalls in contract design," it said.
Per Strömberg: This theory is super useful for example to avoid bonuses leading to wrong decisions in companies. https://t.co/lKfJgsgXhL
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 10, 2016
The two will split the $924,000 prize. The laureates are set to officially receive the award on Dec. 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.
Last week, the committee also announced the Nobel prizes in medicine, physics, chemistry and the peace prize.
The final prize, for literature, will be announced Thursday.