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Do incentives work? Option-based compensation and corporate innovation

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  • Biggerstaff, Lee
  • Blank, Brian
  • Goldie, Brad

Abstract

Numerous scholars have investigated the link between option-based compensation and innovation in public firms, generally concluding options motivate innovative activities better than alternative compensation methods. In most studies, the evidence of causality is weak or suffers from econometric concerns, leading to questions regarding the conclusions. We use the implementation of FAS 123R as a quasi-natural experiment to explore the role option compensation has in incentivizing innovation. FAS 123R increased the cost of granting options as compensation, resulting in a plausibly exogenous shift away from options. Using an updated sample of patent applications, we do not observe any decline in innovation. Despite a similar empirical design, our results differ from those of Mao and Zhang (2018), due to truncation bias inherent in their patent data. Overall, using our updated data, our findings are inconsistent with conclusions from prior studies and suggest option-based compensation does not drive innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Biggerstaff, Lee & Blank, Brian & Goldie, Brad, 2019. "Do incentives work? Option-based compensation and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 415-430.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:58:y:2019:i:c:p:415-430
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2019.06.005
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Xu, Yong & Yuan, Ling & Khalfaoui, Rabeh & Radulescu, Magdalena & Mallek, Sabrine & Zhao, Xin, 2023. "Making technological innovation greener: Does firm digital transformation work?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    3. Abdoh, Hussein & Liu, Yu, 2021. "Does R&D intensity matter in the executive risk incentives and firm risk relationship?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 13-24.
    4. Cui, Xin & Wang, Chunfeng & Liao, Jing & Fang, Zhenming & Cheng, Feiyang, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty exposure and corporate innovation investment: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    5. Alberto Razul & Orlando Gomes & Mohamed Azzim Gulamhussen, 2024. "Bonuses, options, and bank strategies," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 1-28, January.
    6. Lou, Zhukun & Wang, Chong & Liu, Yaxin & Xu, Jing, 2023. "It takes two to tango: Impact of salary co-movement between top executives and ordinary employees on corporate innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    7. Gang Bai & Qiurong Yang & Elyas Elyasiani, 2022. "Managerial Risk-Taking Incentives and Bank Earnings Management: Evidence from FAS 123R," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-21, October.
    8. Minshu Zhao & Fangying Yuan, 2022. "The top management team and enterprise innovation: An empirical study from growth enterprise market listed companies in China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(6), pages 2066-2082, September.
    9. Li Jing & Huying Zhang, 2023. "Venture Capital, Compensation Incentive, and Corporate Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-19, March.
    10. Wu, Junfeng & Liu, Baohua & Zeng, Yongliang & Luo, Hong, 2022. "Good for the firm, good for the society? Causal evidence of the impact of equity incentives on a firm's green investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 435-449.
    11. Yu-En Lin & Jia-Qi Yu & Hsiang-Hsuan Chih & Kung-Cheng Ho, 2022. "Near is more: learning efficiency in research and development innovation among interlocking firms," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-30, December.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate innovation; Employee incentives; Intellectual property; Truncation bias;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L29 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Other
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law

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