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Are overconfident executives alike? overconfident executives and compensation structure: Evidence from China

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  • Huang, Ying Sophie
  • Li, Mengyu

Abstract

We study the effect of executive overconfidence on their compensation structure by employing a sample of listed firms in China, an economy with a relatively collective culture. The empirical findings demonstrate that like those in the U.S., overconfident CEOs in China also tend to have more incentive compensation despite the different culture. Further analysis shows that state ownership weakens the sensitivity of overconfident executives to incentive compensations. In addition, by examining the effect of an exogenous shock, we find that while the 2012 anti-corruption campaign has impacts on the compensation structure of both SOEs and non-SOEs, it further increases the incentive-pay sensitivity gap between overconfident executives of SOEs and non-SOEs.

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  • Huang, Ying Sophie & Li, Mengyu, 2019. "Are overconfident executives alike? overconfident executives and compensation structure: Evidence from China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 434-449.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:48:y:2019:i:c:p:434-449
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2019.03.012
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Compensation structure; Executive overconfidence; SOEs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects

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