This study keeps focal point on how two different executive-employee pay disparity attributed from two different behavioral theory affect firms’ earnings quality, firm value and further whether pay disparity has informativeness as investment key. In...
This study keeps focal point on how two different executive-employee pay disparity attributed from two different behavioral theory affect firms’ earnings quality, firm value and further whether pay disparity has informativeness as investment key. In this study, the pay disparity that is based on the rent extraction theory is called “Economically unexplained pay disparity” which mainly forms the pay disparity with executives’ opportunistic behavior that increasing their own wealth without creating any performance. The other pay disparity is based on the tournament theory is called “Economically explained pay disparity” which means disparity attributes from executives’ high performance and high compensation (Rouen 2020). Economically unexplained pay disparity will affect earnings quality and firm value negatively because executives try to increase their wealth without actual performance. According to this relation, analysts will recognize high pay disparity with low earnings quality and firm value is negative signal to score the investment recommendation lower.
In contrast, economically explained pay disparity is based on the tournament theory which executives and employees get compensation through actual performance that enhances firms’ performance and earnings quality. Accordingly, high earnings quality helps high prediction of future earnings which increases firm value and analysts’ investment recommendation.
I consider this study will help the regulatory authorities to take account into that the positive function of pay disparity which to consider reasonable pay disparity alike the U.S.A.