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Which came first, CEO compensation or firm performance? The causality dilemma in European companies

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  • Smirnova, Aleksandra S.
  • Zavertiaeva, Marina A.

Abstract

This study uses both a functionalist paradigm of social theory and agency theory assumptions to examine whether CEO remuneration is performance sensitive and, vice versa, whether companies that pay their CEOs more perform better. Our analysis is based on the sample of 330 large European firms for the period from 2009 to 2013. The findings of panel data analysis confirm that CEO compensation is positively associated with corporate performance, and vice versa. The simultaneous estimation, in which we treat both compensation and firm performance as endogenous using a two-stage least squares method, shows that companies tie bonuses to accounting-based measures and this incentive pay enhances corporate internal performance. However, compensation linked to market-based measures does not improve firm performance.

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  • Smirnova, Aleksandra S. & Zavertiaeva, Marina A., 2017. "Which came first, CEO compensation or firm performance? The causality dilemma in European companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 658-673.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:42:y:2017:i:c:p:658-673
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2017.07.009
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gu, Junjian, 2022. "Do at home as Romans do? CEO overseas experience and financial misconduct risk of emerging market firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    3. Harakeh, Mostafa & El-Gammal, Walid & Matar, Ghida, 2019. "Female directors, earnings management, and CEO incentive compensation: UK evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 153-170.
    4. Omar Farooque & Wonlop Buachoom & Nam Hoang, 2019. "Interactive effects of executive compensation, firm performance and corporate governance: Evidence from an Asian market," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(4), pages 1111-1164, December.
    5. Tutun Mukherjee & Som Sankar Sen, 2022. "Impact of CEO attributes on corporate reputation, financial performance, and corporate sustainable growth: evidence from India," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-50, December.
    6. Pakamas Srichoke & Georgios Georgakopoulos & Alexandros Sikalidis & Athina Sotiropoulou, 2021. "Corporate Governance, CEO Compensation and accounting conservatism," International Journal of Business and Economic Sciences Applied Research (IJBESAR), International Hellenic University (IHU), Kavala Campus, Greece (formerly Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Institute of Technology - EMaTTech), vol. 14(1), pages 80-95, June.
    7. Shi, Juehui & Lin, Winston T. & Pham, Ngoc Cindy, 2021. "The Relationships Among Managerial Discretion, Firm Performance, and Chief Executive Officer Compensation: A Simultaneous Equations System Approach," American Business Review, Pompea College of Business, University of New Haven, vol. 24(1), pages 114-140, May.
    8. Mohamed Khenissi & Amal Hamrouni & Nadia Ben Farhat Toumi, 2022. "Executive compensation indexed to corporate social responsibility and firm performance: empirical evidence from France," Post-Print hal-03771680, HAL.
    9. Khenissi, Mohamed & Hamrouni, Amal & Farhat, Nadia Ben, 2022. "Executive compensation indexed to corporate social responsibility and firm performance: Empirical evidence from France," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    10. Monomita Nandy & Suman Lodh & Jin Wang & Jaskaran Kaur, 2021. "Does lobbying of firms complement executive networks in determining executive compensation?," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(3), pages 4137-4162, July.
    11. Pandher, Gurupdesh, 2022. "Determinants of Return-maximizing CEO Equity & Cash compensation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 154-168.
    12. Stefan Schmid & Sebastian Baldermann, 2021. "CEOs’ International Work Experience and Compensation," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 313-364, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    CEO compensation; Firm performance; Simultaneous estimation; Sharpe index; Paradigms; Agency theory;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

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