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Debate over executive compensation
The financial crisis of 2008–2009
Financial crisis of 2007-08
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Executive compensation has been a commonly debated topic in many different nations around the world. Most of these discussions focus around the staggering rise in compensation over the last couple of decades, most evident in the United States and more specifically, in the financial industry. This issue was brought to light during the housing market crash in 2008, when a lack of regulation in the financial securities market led to the exposure and critique of several large investment banks. Through investigational probes, it was found that not only was executive compensation exorbitantly high, but executives were also acting both unethically and immorally. Even after this information surfaced, many executives left their roles with large payouts
Enron corporation, a company establisted at 1985, in Taxes. Until 2001, it becames one of the biggest company in the world, which service for energy, natural gas and telecommunications. In 2000, the disclosure turnover reached $101 billion. Everything is going well for Enron corporation. However, at beginning of 2001, Jim - a good reputation of the short-term investment agency owner. Publicly on Enron’s profit model expressed doubts. He pointed out that alough Enron’s business looks very brilliant, but in fact they cannot really make the amount of moeny like the data shown before. No one can say they can understand how Enron is making moeny. According to the inverstment owner’s analysis, Enron’s profitability in 2000 to 5%, to the beginning
In 2008 the worst financial crisis since the great depression hit and left many people wondering who should be responsible. Many Americans supported the prosecution of Wall Street. To this day there have still not been any arrests of any executive on Wall Street for the financial collapse. Many analysts point out that greed of executives was one of the many factors in the crisis. I will talk about subprime loans, ill-intent, punishments, and white collar crime.
The reading that was investigated consisted of a case study from Marianne Jennings entitled “Fannie Mae: The Most Ethical Company in America”. Jennings (2009a) writes about how Fannie Mae’s ranking was number one in the United States of America in 2004 as being the most ethical company. Jennings (2009a) writes that CEO Franklin Raines challenged his employees to double Fannie Mae’s earnings per share (EPS) within five years from $3.23 to $6.46. Consequently, this enabled employees and managers to be eligible for an award under incentive plan (AIP) provided they met the five-year goal Mr. Raines created. Employees and managers were enthusiastic about the ability to influence their salaries, but then human greed took over and things went horribly wrong for Fannie Mae. Jennings (2009b) writes that the government audited Mr. Raines and found that he was behind the altering company’s earnings to meet forecasted projections. After the government’s investigation into Fannie Mae it was determined that Raines created a culture of arrogance and unethical behavior. This paper examines five discussion topics, which Jennings (2009a) poses in a case study that links to the article “Fannie Mae: The Most Ethical Company in America”.
Imagine being in a world where people are paid in cash bonuses, stock options, or generous severance pay when fired from their job due to a company merger, are asked to leave, or choose to retire. This happens to be a reality for many CEO’s and top executives of companies. We live in an economy where mergers and take over’s have become common, and to allow this option for the highest paid employees of a company is arguably unfair. While researching golden parachutes, I formed questions due to the circumstances surrounding this executive option. For example, why should CEO’s, who live very comfortably, be given a compensation package for losing their position due to a company merger or retirement when employee and shareholder’s futures are at stake? Is it fair for the rich to get richer when numerous employees below top executives are dealt the same fate from a merger and shareholders’ investments are at risk but neither receive a form of additional compensation? Of course, there’re those who support the issuance of golden parachutes, arguing they can persuade a possible company merger to not take place due to the costs associated with a top executives golden parachute package. Another supporting point for golden parachutes is, they can make it easier for higher up executives, like CEO’s be absorbed into the future merged company. I will be addressing the point of whether CEO’s and other executives deserve to be awarded a Golden Parachute option by their company. As well as a brief background of Golden Parachutes and my stance on them. They’re a very important part of our growing economy and will always be considered in a merger/takeover if awarded to executives.
In April 2010, KK BB, the CEO of Marshall & Gordon, a leading public relations firm met with the firm’s leadership committee off-site in Miami. This off-site brought together Marshall & Gordon’s executive committee, practice and regional heads, and senior HR officers to discuss on redesigning the firm’s compensation system. A global advisory taskforce, under the direction of an external consulting firm, had spent three months collecting and analyzing data. Marshall & Gordon hired external specialists to design the new performance management program. The specialists proposed that the senior managers and human resource form a global advisory unit together with Marshall & Gordon partner to represent the firm’s five regions of the firm and lead the design process. The advisory unit surveyed all consultants in February in order to understand their way of thinking about the fairness, worth, and effect of the current performance management system. Majority of the interviewees responded to the corporate surveys implying that the subject was topic was especially exciting to them. Interviews gave insights on present and prospective business plans and direction. The survey also showed that specific focus across certain employee populations should be given. Six current hires from key competitors were also interviewed to comprehend competitor pay practices and compensation program structures. Further focus groups discussions and key information interviews enabled the taskforce’s to understand the needs of certain groups within Marshall & Gordon’s worker population. The survey culminated with the taskforce conducting interviews of 20 partners and principals togeth...
The three main crooks Chairman Ken Lay, CEO Jeff Skilling, and CFO Andrew Fastow, are as off the rack as they come. Fastow was skimming from Enron by ripping off the con artists who showed him how to steal, by hiding Enron debt in dummy corporations, and getting rich off of it. Opportunity theory is ever present because since this scam was done once without penalty, it was done plenty of more times with ease. Skilling however, was the typical amoral nerd, with delusions of grandeur, who wanted to mess around with others because he was ridiculed as a kid, implementing an absurd rank and yank policy that led to employees grading each other, with the lowest graded people being fired. Structural humiliation played a direct role in shaping Skilling's thoughts and future actions. This did not mean the worst employees were fired, only the least popular, or those who were not afraid to tell the truth. Thus, the corrupt culture of Enron was born. At one point, in an inter...
Sumo, V., & Weitzman, H. (2013). Are CEOs overpaid? The case against. Retrieved from Capital Ideas: http://www.chicagobooth.edu
In this paper I will identify and analyze the Wells Fargo scandal as it pertains to the breakdown of leadership and ethics. I will first identify and analyze the event and discuss the challenges and conflicts the scandal presented. Then I will evaluate the issue by explaining why the issue has interest and concern to stakeholders followed by discussing the challenges presented to individuals and/or organizations around this case. Lastly, I will recommend action steps that should be taken to those involved as well as discuss what I have learned from exploring this topic.
Duckworth Industries - Incentive Compensation Programs Case In the current case, Team A examines Duckworth Industries, Inc. - an industrial manufacturer - in order to evaluate its current and proposed incentive compensation programs. Analysis and recommendations follow. Duckworth Industries, Inc., has several incentive compensation programs for different levels of employees, each designed to address different problems or productivity issues. For plant-level employees, Duckworth has an attendance bonus program to reduce tardiness.
Holland Enterprises is on an innovative planned trend, to invite and maintain the utmost talented employees and to decrease opportunity. The Human Resource Department had the responsibility that has initiated a winning team with a different compensation strategy. The compensation strategy contains of financial pay, and in thoughtful rights of imports and amenities. Holland Enterprise employer’s duties guarantee that their drivers recognize that they are motivation, they obtain the implements they want to be effective in their employment with Holland Enterprises. Their obligation founds an idea and marks accurate potentials.
For those who do not know what fraud is, it’s basically deception by showing people what they want to see. In business it’s the same concept, but in a larger scale by means of manipulating figures that will be shown to shareholders and investors. Before Sarbanes Oxley Act there was “Enron Corporation”, a fortune 500 company that managed to falsify their statements claiming revenues over 101 billion in a span of 15 years. In order for us to understand how this corporation managed to deceive the public for so long, the documentary or movie “Smartest Guys in the Room” goes into depth by providing viewers with first-hand information from people that worked close with or for “Enron”.
CEO Kenneth Lay’s ambition for ENRON a company he had helped form went beyond the business of piping gas. Enron went to become the largest natural gas merchant in North America and the United Kingdom. But the reality is, this company business model never worked. This was a company that was so desperate to win Wall Street 's respect that it kept it stocks shares prices going up despite the losses it was incurring in order for executives to keep lining their own pockets. Over the course of this Case Assignment, I will identify the examples of financial reporting misconduct, I will explain the deontological as well as a utilitarian ethical perspective and lastly I will identify the stakeholders likely to be affected by that misconduct.
Over the 10 years the business was trying to generate new revenue streams to make the company prosperous as it was before. The streams of these revenues had been sustained through illegal dealings on the part of Enron and negotiations they did with other businesses. This scandal demonstrates the need of substantial reforms in corporate governance in the United States, and the ethical situation that should be dealt with in a business.
Recently, three individuals were awarded $170 million for helping investigators gather a record $16.65 billion penalty against Bank of America. Based on their action of inflating the value of mortgage properties and selling defective loans to investors. By influencing the market falsely is unethical and wrong. That is also why their punishment was so harsh. Firms today warn their managers and employees that failing to report unethical behavior and violations by others, could get them fired.
The Enron Corporation was an American energy company that provided natural gas, electricity, and communications to its customers both wholesale and retail globally and in the northwestern United States (Ferrell, et al, 2013). Top executives, prestigious law firms, trusted accounting firms, the largest banks in the finance industry, the board of directors, and other high powered people, all played a part in the biggest most popular scandal that shook the faith of the American people in big business and the stock market with the demise of one of the top Fortune 500 companies that made billions of dollars through illegal and unethical gains (Ferrell, et al, 2013). Many shareholders, employees, and investors lost their entire life savings, investments,