CEO Power, Internal Compensation Dispersion and Firm Risk-Taking
ZHU Xiao-lin1, FANG Yong-jun2
1.School of Accounting &Finance, Zhongnan University of Economics and Law, WuHan 430073, China
2.School of Accounting, Henan University of Economics and Law, ZhengZhou 450046, China
Based on Agent Risk Aversion Hypothesis in Principal Agent Theory, this paper discusses the influence of the compensation gap in top executive team on the degree of risk-taking in firms, and the moderating effect on the relationship between them that is brought about by CEO power. Results show that the compensation gap can enhance firms’ risk-taking but this positive correlation only exists in non-state-owned enterprises. This shows that the internal compensation difference in top management teams of non-state-owned enterprises can stimulate promotion, resulting in easing the tension in agent risk aversion. In addition, the managerial power from CEO will curb this stimulating effect between those two variables. The conclusions not only enrich the study on internal compensation dispersion in firms, but also have practical significance in improving the current low level of risk-taking among enterprises.