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Signal Incongruence and Its Consequences: A Study of Media Disapproval and CEO Overcompensation

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  • JP Vergne

    (Ivey Business School, London, Ontario N6G 0N1, Canada)

  • Georg Wernicke

    (HEC Paris, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France)

  • Steffen Brenner

    (Copenhagen Business School, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark)

Abstract

We draw on the signaling and infomediary literature to examine how media evaluations of CEO overcompensation (a negative cue associated with selfishness and greed) are affected by the presence of corporate philanthropy (a positive cue associated with altruism and generosity). In line with our theory on signal incongruence, we find that firms engaged in philanthropy receive more media disapproval when they overcompensate their CEO, but they are also more likely to decrease CEO overcompensation as a response. Our study contributes to the signaling literature by theorizing about signal incongruence and to infomediary and corporate governance research by showing that media disapproval can lead to lower executive compensation. We also reconcile two conflicting views on firm prosocial behavior by showing that, in the presence of incongruent cues, philanthropy can simultaneously enhance and damage media evaluations of firms and CEOs. Taken together, these findings shed new light on the media as agents of external corporate governance for firms and open new avenues for research on executive compensation.

Suggested Citation

  • JP Vergne & Georg Wernicke & Steffen Brenner, 2018. "Signal Incongruence and Its Consequences: A Study of Media Disapproval and CEO Overcompensation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(5), pages 796-817, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:29:y:2018:i:5:p:796-817
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.2018.1209
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    2. Tingting Zhang & Zhengyi Zhang & Jingyu Yang, 2022. "When Does Corporate Social Responsibility Backfire in Acquisitions? Signal Incongruence and Acquirer Returns," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 45-58, January.
    3. Fuente, Gabriel de la & Velasco, Pilar, 2022. "Bank debt signalling and corporate sustainability: Does incongruence blur the message?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 46(PA).
    4. Liangdong Lu & Mengyao Wang & Jia Xu, 2023. "How to Keep Investors’ Confidence after Being Labeled as Polluting Firms: The Role of External Political Ties and Internal Green Innovation Capabilities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-19, September.
    5. Jiexiang Huang & Helen Roberts & Eric K. M. Tan, 2022. "The media and CEO dominance," International Review of Finance, International Review of Finance Ltd., vol. 22(1), pages 5-35, March.
    6. Ann-Christine Schulz & Miriam Flickinger, 2020. "Does CEO (over)compensation influence corporate reputation?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 903-927, August.
    7. Huang, Wenxuan & Xu, Weidong & Gao, Xin & Li, Donghui & Fu, Wentao, 2023. "Terrorist attacks and CEO compensation: UK evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Louis Boisgibault, 2020. "To be Executive Director in London [Etre executive director à Londres]," Post-Print hal-02960633, HAL.
    9. Martijn Hendriks & Martijn Burger & Harry Commandeur, 2023. "The influence of CEO compensation on employee engagement," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 607-633, February.
    10. Heli Wang & Ming Jia & Zhe Zhang, 2021. "Good Deeds Done in Silence: Stakeholder Management and Quiet Giving by Chinese Firms," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(3), pages 649-674, May.
    11. Berlinger, Edina & Lilla Keresztúri, Judit & Lublóy, Ágnes & Vőneki Tamásné, Zsuzsanna, 2022. "Press freedom and operational losses: The monitoring role of the media," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    12. Hafenbrädl, Sebastian & Waeger, Daniel, 2021. "The business case for CSR: A trump card against hypocrisy?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 838-848.

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