ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Holmström's theorem

Holmström's theorem is a fancy idea in economics that helps us understand how to motivate people to do their best work. Imagine you and your friend are playing a game, and you both want to win. If you both try your best, you'll both have fun, and one of you will win. But what if you could get a reward for trying your best even if you don't win? This is where Holmström's theorem comes in.

Holmström's theorem says that the best way to motivate people is to give them a reward based on their effort. Let's say you and your friend are playing a game, and you both want to win. But you also get a prize for trying your best. If you both try your best, you both get a prize, and one of you still wins the game. But if one of you doesn't try their best, they won't get the prize.

So, if you want to motivate people to do their best work, you need to give them a reward based on their effort. This way they will be encouraged to work hard and try their best, even if they don't win every time.

In simpler terms, Holmström's theorem is all about giving people a reason to try their hardest even when they don't have to. It's like getting a gold star for doing your best in school, even if you don't get an A+.