Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation

This study examines how a firm’s religious culture affects the structure of CEO compensation. I consider two characteristics of religious cultures that are likely to have implications on executive compensation structure – the sensitivity of economic agents to financial rewards (extrinsic motivation)...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Edward Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pompea College of Business 2025-05-01
Series:American Business Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/americanbusinessreview/vol28/iss1/7/
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:This study examines how a firm’s religious culture affects the structure of CEO compensation. I consider two characteristics of religious cultures that are likely to have implications on executive compensation structure – the sensitivity of economic agents to financial rewards (extrinsic motivation) and the extent to which agents’ actions can affect future outcomes (locus of control). I hypothesize that religious cultures’ attitudes toward both characteristics will lead to less use of performance-based compensation in religious cultures and show evidence consistent with the hypothesis. Further tests show that the relationship is primarily driven by religious cultures’ perception of extrinsic motivation. Using corporate headquarters relocations as a shock to a firm’s culture, I show that the relationship is causal.
ISSN:0743-2348
2689-8810