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Executive Remuneration and Corporate Divestment: Motivating Managers to Make Unpalatable Decisions

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  • Michelle Haynes
  • Steve Thompson
  • Mike Wright

Abstract

This study examines the impact of voluntary divestment on executive remuneration, using an unbalanced panel of 107 UK quoted companies over the period 1988 to 1993. It employs a dynamic compensation equation, with a vector of controls and alternative specifications of the divestment effect. The results show no general direct evidence of a remuneration process that rewards managers for downsizing their firms. Indeed the substantial pay‐size elasticity implies the reverse. However, divestment does have a positive and significant effect in raising executive remuneration under a regime of strong corporate governance, defined in terms of the presence of a substantial blockholder.

Suggested Citation

  • Michelle Haynes & Steve Thompson & Mike Wright, 2007. "Executive Remuneration and Corporate Divestment: Motivating Managers to Make Unpalatable Decisions," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(5‐6), pages 792-818, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jbfnac:v:34:y:2007:i:5-6:p:792-818
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5957.2007.02008.x
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    2. Manapol Ekkayokkaya & Phil Holmes & Krishna Paudyal, 2009. "Limited Information and the Sustainability of Unlisted‐Target Acquirers' Returns," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9‐10), pages 1201-1227, November.
    3. Ralph Sonenshine & Nathan Larson & Michael Cauvel, 2015. "The Effect of Mergers, Divestitures, and Board Composition on CEO Compensation Before and After the Financial Crisis," Working Papers 2015-08, American University, Department of Economics.
    4. Peng Xu & Guiyu Bai, 2019. "Board Governance, Sustainable Innovation Capability and Corporate Expansion: Empirical Data from Private Listed Companies in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-17, June.

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