This study provides evidence concerning the endogenous determination of managerial compensation contracts. To avoid the confounding effect of tax considerations, we limit our attention to the choice among long-term nonqualified incentive plans. Specifically, we consider a two-part decision faced by the firm: (1) whether to add an accounting-based "performance plan" to the existing portfolio of compensation contracts and (2) if the firm adopts a plan, the choice between a "relative" or an "absolute" performance measure. Based on some behavioral implications of performance plans which distinguish them from alternative contracts, we develop hypotheses which relate the adoption and design of a performance plan to the firm's general incentive contracting environment. We test these hypotheses using a choice-based sample, evenly divided between performance plan adopters and nonadopters. For the purposes of parameter estimation, we use the multinomial logit model to reflect the qualitative, hierarchical nature of the decision setting. Our results indicate that variables which proxy for the incentive environment can explain which firms will adopt a performance plan, and also the type of performance measure used by the adopting firms.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/184001 |
| Date | January 1987 |
| Creators | GAVER, JENNIFER JANE. |
| Contributors | Dhaliwal, Dan |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Dissertation-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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