An Introduction to Executive Compensation

“This book is a timely, comprehensive, and well-researched synthesis of what’s happening in the world of executive compensation today. The book is sophisticated in its content, but presented in such a way that a novice can understand it. The book links compensation theory to the real world, illustrates concepts with real-life examples, and is a practical guide to understanding and designing compensation packages for today’s executives. This book is a ‘must read’ for Board members, CEOs, and Human Resource and Compensation professionals alike.”
—Robin A. Ferracone, Worldwide Partner, Mercer Consulting

An Introduction to Executive Compensation analyzes package elements and, drawing upon practitioner and academic literature, leads readers through the development of optimal plans under varying circumstances. Bypassing general issues of employee compensation, it focuses exclusively on the subjects that make this politically sensitive topic so important to corporations and shareholders alike.
Most of the material on executive compensation is written by consultants and thus has little theory and much selling of services. Much of the economics and finance literature on executive compensation betrays a lack of knowledge of how these consultants actually get paid. Steven Balsam balances theory and practice, and his generous use of examples makes this work readable and approachable for nonacademics.

About the Author
Steven Balsam, Director of the Ph.D. Program in Business, Associate Professor of Accounting and Merves Research Fellow at the Fox School of Business at Temple University, obtained his Ph.D. from the City University of New York (Baruch College) in 1991. His research interests are in the areas of executive compensation and capital markets. He has published articles in academic journals, including the Journal of Accounting and Economics, Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of the American Taxation Association, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, and Accounting Horizons. Prior to coming to Temple University, he taught at Baruch College and the University of Rochester. Before entering academia, he was a Certified Public Accountant working for the international accounting firm of Ernst & Young.