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Do CEO compensation incentives affect firm innovation?

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  • Shahbaz Sheikh

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine if the structure and design of CEO compensation has any effect on firm innovation. It further investigates the effectiveness of each component of portfolio of compensation incentives in encouraging innovation. Design/methodology/approach - This study uses systems of simultaneous equations to model the interdependence between compensation incentives and measures of firm innovation. Findings - Results indicate that the pay‐performance sensitivity of the CEO portfolio of compensation incentives is positively related to investment in R&D expenditures, number of patents and citations. Options in general are more effective than stocks. However, within the options portfolio, recently awarded and unvested options are more effective than previously awarded and vested options. Restricted stock is more effective than unrestricted stock. Research limitations/implications - Measuring innovation output is difficult as innovation could take different forms, including business model innovation, which does not appear in the patent data. Practical implications - Stock options encourage investment in value‐increasing innovations and should remain a significant part of managerial compensation. If the firm awards stock, it should only award restricted stock. Originality/value - This study uses comprehensive measures of compensation incentives and firm innovation. It views incentives as a portfolio of stock and options and uses incentives in their entirety. It examines the effectiveness of each component of the portfolio in encouraging innovation. It measures innovation as investment into the innovation process (R&D expenditures) and the resulting success of that investment (patents and citations).

Suggested Citation

  • Shahbaz Sheikh, 2012. "Do CEO compensation incentives affect firm innovation?," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(1), pages 4-39, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:rafpps:v:11:y:2012:i:1:p:4-39
    DOI: 10.1108/14757701211201803
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    3. Bu-Kyung Choi & Ji-Young Ahn & Myeong-Cheol Choi, 2021. "Corporate Social Responsibility, CEO Compensation Structure, and Corporate Innovation Activities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Raghavan J. Iyengar & Malavika Sundararajan, 2019. "Is Firm Innovation Associated With Corporate Governance?," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(03), pages 1-24, April.
    5. Hedy Jiaying Huang & Ahsan Habib & Sophia Li Sun & Ying Liu & Huiting Guo, 2021. "Financial reporting and corporate innovation: a review of the international literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5439-5499, December.
    6. Smirnova, Aleksandra S. & Zavertiaeva, Marina A., 2017. "Which came first, CEO compensation or firm performance? The causality dilemma in European companies," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 658-673.
    7. Sakaki, Hamid & Jory, Surendranath & Jackson, Dave, 2021. "Institutional investors’ ownership stability and their investee firms’ equity mispricing," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).

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