Has Moral Hazard Become a More Important Factor in Managerial Compensation?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Gayle, George-Levi; Miller, Robert A.
• 署名单位: Carnegie Mellon University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.99.5.1740
• 发表日期: 2009
• 页码: 1740-1769
• 关键词: executive-compensation; performance pay; ceo pay; size; RISK

摘要

We estimate a principal-agent model of moral hazard with longitudinal data on firms and managerial compensation over two disjoint periods spanning 60 years to investigate increased value and variability in managerial compensation. We find exogenous growth in firm size largely explains these secular trends in compensation. In our framework, exogenous from size works through two channels. First, conflicts of interest between shareholders and managers are magnified in large firms, so optimal compensation plans are now more closely linked to insider wealth. Second, the market for managers has become more differentiated, increasing the premium paid to managers of large versus small firms. (JEL D82, L25, M12, M52)