He’s 82 now, but Bill Marriott can’t bring himself to completely walk away from the company that bears his name. 

Owning large stakes gives these executives the ability to essentially hang around as long as they please. But academics who study and interview older executives say there is a complicated psychology at play and that advances in health care — Marriott has survived several heart attacks — mean the country could see more everlasting executives in the future.

What motivates them? For starters, death.