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On the Effects of the Degree of Discretion in Reporting Managerial performance

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  • De Waegenaere, A.M.B.

    (Tilburg University, Center For Economic Research)

  • Wielhouwer, J.L.

    (Tilburg University, Center For Economic Research)

Abstract

We consider a principal-agent setting in which a manager’s compensation depends on a noisy performance signal, and the manager is granted the right to choose an (accounting) method to determine the value of the performance signal. We study the effect of the degree of such reporting discretion, measured by the number of acceptable methods, on the optimal contract, the expected cost of compensation, and the manager’s expected utility. We find that a minimal degree of discretion may be necessary for successful contracting. We also find that while an increase in reporting discretion never harms the manager, the effect on the expected cost of compensation is more subtle. We identify three main effects of increased reporting discretion and characterize the conditions under which the aggregate of these three effects will lead to a higher or lower cost of compensation. Finally, we find that when reporting discretion induces costly effort on the part of the manager, the optimal degree of discretion can be higher than when it is costless.
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Suggested Citation

  • De Waegenaere, A.M.B. & Wielhouwer, J.L., 2008. "On the Effects of the Degree of Discretion in Reporting Managerial performance," Discussion Paper 2008-21, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:tiu:tiucen:7251fe36-f257-46bc-8185-d0fee3c496c8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dilip Mookherjee & Ivan Png, 1989. "Optimal Auditing, Insurance, and Redistribution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 104(2), pages 399-415.
    2. Dye, Ronald A. & Magee, Robert P., 1991. "Discretion in reporting managerial performance," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 359-363, April.
    3. Joel S. Demski, 1998. "Performance Measure Manipulation," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 15(3), pages 261-285, September.
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    5. Lambert, Richard A., 2001. "Contracting theory and accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1-3), pages 3-87, December.
    6. Pierre Jinghong Liang, 2004. "Equilibrium Earnings Management, Incentive Contracts, and Accounting Standards," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 21(3), pages 685-718, September.
    7. Verrecchia, Robert E., 1986. "Managerial discretion in the choice among financial reporting alternatives," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(3), pages 175-195, October.
    8. Joel S. Demski & Hans Frimor & David E. M. Sappington, 2004. "Efficient Manipulation in a Repeated Setting," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(1), pages 31-49, March.
    9. Arya, Anil & Young, Richard A. & Woodlock, Peter, 1992. "Managerial reporting discretion and the truthfulness of disclosures," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 163-168, June.
    10. Michael J. Fishman & Kathleen M. Hagerty, 1990. "The Optimal Amount of Discretion to Allow in Disclosure," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 105(2), pages 427-444.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    managerial compensation; reporting flexibility;

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D86 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Economics of Contract Law
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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