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)...

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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/
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author Edward Kim
author_facet Edward Kim
author_sort Edward Kim
collection DOAJ
description 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.
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spelling doaj-art-fd6c02797a8048e6bc874ddd7911efc22025-08-20T03:21:35ZengPompea College of BusinessAmerican Business Review0743-23482689-88102025-05-0128114316010.37625/abr.28.1.143-160Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based CompensationEdward Kim0Western Michigan University, Michigan, U.S.A.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.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/americanbusinessreview/vol28/iss1/7/ceo compensationincentive paycorporate governancecorporate culturereligiosity
spellingShingle Edward Kim
Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation
American Business Review
ceo compensation
incentive pay
corporate governance
corporate culture
religiosity
title Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation
title_full Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation
title_fullStr Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation
title_full_unstemmed Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation
title_short Religiosity and the Use of Performance-Based Compensation
title_sort religiosity and the use of performance based compensation
topic ceo compensation
incentive pay
corporate governance
corporate culture
religiosity
url https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/americanbusinessreview/vol28/iss1/7/
work_keys_str_mv AT edwardkim religiosityandtheuseofperformancebasedcompensation