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Six Challenges in Designing Equity-Based Pay

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  • Brian J. Hall

Abstract

This paper analyzes why the primary goal of the equity-pay explosion--creating long-run ownership incentives for top executives--has often been difficult to achieve in practice. More generally, I describe six challenges in the design of equity-based pay plans and discuss potential solutions. The six challenges involve: 1. mismatched time horizons; 2. gaming; 3. the value-cost wedge'; 4. the leverage-fragility tradeoff; 5. aligning risk-taking incentives; and 6. avoiding excessive compensation. The paper also discussed the merits of stock versus options and concludes that restricted stock is often a superior form of compensation.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian J. Hall, 2003. "Six Challenges in Designing Equity-Based Pay," NBER Working Papers 9887, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:9887
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    Cited by:

    1. David Burner & Michael McKee & Rudy Santore, 2008. "Hand in the Cookie Jar: An Experimental Investigation of Equity‐Based Compensation and Managerial Fraud," Southern Economic Journal, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 75(1), pages 261-278, July.
    2. Bruno S. Frey & Margit Osterloh, "undated". "Yes, Managers Should be Paid Like Bureaucrats," IEW - Working Papers 187, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
    3. Paul André & Samer Khalil & Michel Magnan, 2012. "The adoption of deferred share unit plans for outside directors: economic and social determinants," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 16(1), pages 81-105, February.
    4. Kim, Seoyoung & Sarin, Atulya & Sarin, Saagar, 2018. "Do players perform for pay? An empirical examination via NFL players’ compensation contracts," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 330-346.
    5. Peter Jaskiewicz & Joern H. Block & James G. Combs & Danny Miller, 2017. "The Effects of Founder and Family Ownership on Hired CEOs’ Incentives and Firm Performance," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 41(1), pages 73-103, January.
    6. Clarke, Thomas & Jarvis, Walter & Gholamshahi, Soheyla, 2019. "The impact of corporate governance on compounding inequality: Maximising shareholder value and inflating executive pay," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    7. Igor Filatotchev & Gregory Jackson & Chizu Nakajima, 2013. "Corporate governance and national institutions: A review and emerging research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 30(4), pages 965-986, December.
    8. Jörn Hendrich Block, 2008. "Are CEOs in Family Firms Paid Like Bureaucrats? Evidence from Bayesian and Frequentist Analyses," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2008-033, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
    9. Wang, Kemin & Zhang, Guanglong & Zhou, Lin, 2023. "Managerial disposition effect: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    10. Bizjak, John M. & Lemmon, Michael L. & Naveen, Lalitha, 2008. "Does the use of peer groups contribute to higher pay and less efficient compensation?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(2), pages 152-168, November.
    11. Jared Harris & Philip Bromiley, 2007. "Incentives to Cheat: The Influence of Executive Compensation and Firm Performance on Financial Misrepresentation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(3), pages 350-367, June.
    12. Zacharias Sautner & Martin Weber, 2009. "How Do Managers Behave In Stock Option Plans? Clinical Evidence From Exercise And Survey Data," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 32(2), pages 123-155, June.
    13. Ciaran Driver & Maria João Coelho Guedes, 2017. "R&D and CEO departure date: do financial incentives make CEOs more opportunistic?," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 26(5), pages 801-820.
    14. Samer Khalil & Michel Magnan & Paul André, 2008. "The Adoption of Deferred Share Unit Plans for Outside Directors and Shareholder Wealth," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 210-224, May.
    15. Robert F. Göx & Uwe Heller, 2008. "Risiken und Nebenwirkungen der Offenlegungspflicht von Vorstandsbezügen: Individual- vs. Kollektivausweis," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 98-123, March.
    16. Bulan, Laarni & Sanyal, Paroma & Yan, Zhipeng, 2010. "A few bad apples: An analysis of CEO performance pay and firm productivity," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 62(4), pages 273-306, July.
    17. Loureiro, Gilberto & Makhija, Anil K. & Zhang, Dan, 2011. "Why Do Some CEOs Work for a One-Dollary Salary?," Working Paper Series 2011-7, Ohio State University, Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J0 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs

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