IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/inm/ororsc/v15y2004i6p657-670.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Culture and CEO Compensation

Author

Listed:
  • Henry L. Tosi

    (Warrington College of Business Administration, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611–7165; Scuola di Direzione Aziendale dell' Universitá Commerciale Luigi Bocconi, Milan, Italy; Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales, Jouy-en-Josas, France)

  • Thomas Greckhamer

    (Warrington College of Business Administration, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611–7165)

Abstract

The theory and research on chief executive officer (CEO) compensation tends to be dominated by assumptions and values reflective of those dominant in the national culture of the United States, where most of this work is done. This suggests that an underlying theme focuses on how CEO compensation is related to instrumental choices made in a competitive, capitalist culture. This study seeks to expand the understanding of CEO compensation by examining it in the context of other cultures, based on the premise that national culture plays a significant part in the nature of compensation strategies.We relate cultural dimensions (uncertainty avoidance, power distance, individualism, and masculinity-femininity) developed by Hofstede (Hofstede 1980a, 2001) to several dimensions of CEO compensation. These dimensions are total CEO pay, the proportion of variable pay to total compensation, and the ratio of CEO pay to the lowest level employees. The main findings of our paper are (1) all of the different dimensions of CEO pay were related to power distance, leading us to infer that CEO pay in a culture is most reflective of the strength of the power structure in a society, and (2) total compensation and the ratio of variable pay to total pay are related to individualism.We conclude that cultural dimensions can contribute to understanding cross-national CEO compensation. The implication of this conclusion is that there are different ways that CEO compensation fits into the cognitive schema of various cultures and, furthermore, that these cognitive schema vary across societies that affect the nature of the “cultural matrix into which [money] is incorporated” (Bloch and Parry 1989, p. 1). Moreover, our results imply that particular forms of CEO compensation do not mean the same thing in different cultures, but rather carry different symbolic connotations depending on the values dominant in a society. Thus, not only does the compensation structure of a firm within a culture have a symbolic meaning within organizations (e.g., Trice and Beyer 1993), but it can also be seen as an expression of deeper social values (Hofstede et al. 1990) that may differ across countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Henry L. Tosi & Thomas Greckhamer, 2004. "Culture and CEO Compensation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 15(6), pages 657-670, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:15:y:2004:i:6:p:657-670
    DOI: 10.1287/orsc.1040.0099
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1040.0099
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1287/orsc.1040.0099?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Conyon, Martin J & Murphy, Kevin J, 2000. "The Prince and the Pauper? CEO Pay in the United States and United Kingdom," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 110(467), pages 640-671, November.
    2. Sydney Finkelstein & Donald C. Hambrick, 1989. "Chief executive compensation: A study of the intersection of markets and political processes," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(2), pages 121-134, March.
    3. Main, Brian G M & O'Reilly, Charles A, III & Wade, James, 1993. "Top Executive Pay: Tournament or Teamwork?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 11(4), pages 606-628, October.
    4. Steen Thomsen & Torben Pedersen, 2000. "Ownership structure and economic performance in the largest european companies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(6), pages 689-705, June.
    5. Ryh-song Yeh & John J Lawrence, 1995. "Individualism and Confucian Dynamism: A Note on Hofstede's Cultural Root to Economic Growth," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 26(3), pages 655-669, September.
    6. Torben Pedersen & Steen Thomsen, 1997. "European Patterns of Corporate Ownership: A Twelve-Country Study," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 28(4), pages 759-778, December.
    7. McCleary, Rachel & Barro, Robert, 2003. "Religion and Economic Growth across Countries," Scholarly Articles 3708464, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    8. Rajesh K. Aggarwal & Andrew A. Samwick, 1999. "The Other Side of the Trade-off: The Impact of Risk on Executive Compensation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(1), pages 65-105, February.
    9. Donald C. Hambrick & Sydney Finkelstein, 1995. "The effects of ownership structure on conditions at the top: The case of CEO pay raises," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(3), pages 175-193.
    10. Anja Tuschke & Wm. Gerard Sanders, 2003. "Antecedents and consequences of corporate governance reform: the case of Germany," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(7), pages 631-649, July.
    11. Donald D. Bergh & Gordon F. Holbein, 1997. "Assessment and redirection of longitudinal analysis demonstration with a study of the diversification and divestiture relationship," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 557-571, August.
    12. Robert J. Barro & Rachel McCleary, 2003. "Religion and Economic Growth," NBER Working Papers 9682, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Jensen, Michael C & Murphy, Kevin J, 1990. "Performance Pay and Top-Management Incentives," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(2), pages 225-264, April.
    14. Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Levine, Ross, 1999. "Bank-based and market-based financial systems - cross-country comparisons," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2143, The World Bank.
    15. Randall S Schuler & Nikolai Rogovsky, 1998. "Understanding Compensation Practice Variations Across Firms: The Impact of National Culture," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 29(1), pages 159-177, March.
    16. Kraft, Kornelius & Niederprum, Antonia, 1999. "Determinants of management compensation with risk-averse agents and dispersed ownership of the firm," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 40(1), pages 17-27, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Thomas Greckhamer, 2016. "CEO compensation in relation to worker compensation across countries: The configurational impact of country-level institutions," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(4), pages 793-815, April.
    2. Otten, J.A. & Heugens, P.P.M.A.R., 2007. "Extending the Managerial Power Theory of Executive Pay: A Cross National Test," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2007-090-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    3. Henry Tosi, 2008. "Quo Vadis? Suggestions for future corporate governance research," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 12(2), pages 153-169, May.
    4. Kuang, Yu Flora & Qin, Bo, 2009. "Performance-vested stock options and interest alignment," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 46-61.
    5. Manika Kohli, 2018. "Impact of Ownership Type and Board Characteristics on the Pay–Performance Relationship: Evidence from India," Indian Journal of Corporate Governance, , vol. 11(1), pages 1-34, June.
    6. Sun, Sophia Li & Habib, Ahsan, 2020. "Determinants and consequences of tournament incentives: A survey of the literature in accounting and finance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    7. Ales Cornanic & Jiri Novak & Jan Sarapatka, 2018. "Religion, Corporate Governance, and Executive Compensation," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 68(1), pages 34-70, February.
    8. Schmid, Stefan & Altfeld, Frederic & Dauth, Tobias, 2018. "Americanization as a driver of CEO pay in Europe: The moderating role of CEO power," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 53(4), pages 433-451.
    9. Sven-Olof Yrjö Collin & Yuliya Ponomareva & Sara Ottosson & Nina Sundberg, 2017. "Governance strategy and costs: board compensation in Sweden," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 21(3), pages 685-713, September.
    10. Bayer, Christian & Burhop, Carsten, 2009. "Corporate governance and incentive contracts: Historical evidence from a legal reform," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 464-481, October.
    11. Engesaeth, E.J.P., 2011. "Managerial compensation contracting," Other publications TiSEM 5eb8d152-e701-4e5c-8852-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    12. Calcagno, R. & Renneboog, L.D.R., 2004. "Capital Structure and Managerial Compensation : The Effects of Renumeration Seniority," Discussion Paper 2004-120, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    13. Goergen, Marc & Manjon, Miguel C. & Renneboog, Luc, 2008. "Recent developments in German corporate governance," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 175-193, September.
    14. Stavros E. Arvanitis & Theodoros V. Stamatopoulos & Dimitris Terzakis, 2018. "Is There a Non-linear Relationship of Market Value with Cash and Ownership?," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 68(1), pages 3-25, January-M.
    15. Zhiguo He & Si Li & Bin Wei & Jianfeng Yu, 2014. "Uncertainty, Risk, and Incentives: Theory and Evidence," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(1), pages 206-226, January.
    16. Lim, Terence & Lo, Andrew W. & Merton, Robert C. & Scholes, Myron S., 2006. "The Derivatives Sourcebook," Foundations and Trends(R) in Finance, now publishers, vol. 1(5–6), pages 365-572, April.
    17. Yaowen Shan & Terry Walter, 2016. "Towards a Set of Design Principles for Executive Compensation Contracts," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 52(4), pages 619-684, December.
    18. Renneboog, L.D.R. & Trojanowski, G., 2002. "The Managerial Labor Market and the Governance Role of Shareholder Control Structures in the UK," Discussion Paper 2002-68, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    19. Paul Gregg & Sarah Jewell & Ian Tonks, 2005. "Executive Pay and Performance in the UK 1994-2002," The Centre for Market and Public Organisation 05/122, The Centre for Market and Public Organisation, University of Bristol, UK.
    20. Justin Law & Wayne Yu, 2018. "Corporate spinoffs and executive compensation," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:inm:ororsc:v:15:y:2004:i:6:p:657-670. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Chris Asher (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/inforea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.