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Privatization and Management Incentives: Evidence from the United Kingdom

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  • Michael I. Cragg
  • I. J. Alexander Dyck

Abstract

This article examines whether privatization affects management incentives and provides an estimate of the magnitude of the change. Using data from large firms in the United Kingdom, we find no relationship between compensation and financial performance in state-owned firms, both before and after corporate governance reforms. In contrast, we find a strong sensitivity in privatized firms both immediately and in more mature privatized firms driven largely by stock options and shareholding. For more mature privatized firms, compensation and dismissal sensitivities are complementary with our estimates, suggesting a 443,000 pound increase in management returns for a one standard deviation improvement in firm performance. This estimated incentive intensity is higher than in established publicly traded firms. Our results support the theoretical focus on incentives in the dominant theories of state and private ownership. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael I. Cragg & I. J. Alexander Dyck, 2003. "Privatization and Management Incentives: Evidence from the United Kingdom," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 176-217, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jleorg:v:19:y:2003:i:1:p:176-217
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    Cited by:

    1. Kato, Takao & Long, Cheryl, 2006. "Executive Compensation, Firm Performance, and Corporate Governance in China: Evidence from Firms Listed in the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 54(4), pages 945-983, July.
    2. Miążek Radosław, 2021. "Corporate governance in state-owned enterprises. A systematic literature review: an international perspective," International Journal of Contemporary Management, Sciendo, vol. 57(4), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Kato, Takao & Kim, Woochan & Lee, Ju Ho, 2007. "Executive compensation, firm performance, and Chaebols in Korea: Evidence from new panel data," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 36-55, January.
    4. Quaresima, Federico, 2019. "Patronage Appointments between Politics and Public Governance: a Review," MPRA Paper 94650, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Takao Kato & Cheryl Long, 2004. "Executive Compensation, Firm Performance, and State Ownership in China: Evidence from New Panel Data," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 2004-690, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    6. Scheele, Ulrich, 2007. "Privatisierung, Liberalisierung und Deregulierung in netzgebundenen Infrastruktursektoren," Forschungs- und Sitzungsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Gust, Dieter (ed.), Wandel der Stromversorgung und räumliche Politik, volume 127, pages 35-67, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    7. Bae, Sung C. & Kwon, Taek Ho & Liu, Chenyang, 2024. "The impact of high-pressure political reforms on state-owned enterprises: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    8. Mark Armstrong & David E.M. Sappington, 2006. "Regulation, Competition and Liberalization," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 44(2), pages 325-366, June.
    9. Productivity Commission, 2008. "Financial Performance of Government Trading Enterprises 2004-05 to 2006-07," Research Papers 0802, Productivity Commission, Government of Australia.
    10. D'Souza, Juliet & Megginson, William & Nash, Robert, 2005. "Effect of institutional and firm-specific characteristics on post-privatization performance: Evidence from developed countries," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(5), pages 747-766, October.
    11. Panagiotis Staikouras, 2004. "Structural Reform Policy: Privatisation and Beyond—The Case of Greece," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(3), pages 373-398, May.
    12. K. Arin & Mehmet Ulubaşoğlu, 2009. "Leviathan resists: the endogenous relationship between privatization and firm performance," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 140(1), pages 185-204, July.
    13. Federico Quaresima & Fabio Fiorillo, 2020. "The economics of politics: patronage and political selection in Italy," Economics of Governance, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 27-48, March.
    14. Bradshaw, Mark & Liao, Guanmin & Ma, Mark (Shuai), 2019. "Agency costs and tax planning when the government is a major Shareholder," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 255-277.
    15. Chen Lin & Dongwei Su, 2009. "Does state control affect managerial incentives? Evidence from china's publicly listed firms," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(4), pages 291-311, September.

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