Latest Achievements

Humnath Panta, and Co-authors from University of Texas at Arlington, Business

I’m pleased to share a recent research contribution representing Cal Poly Humboldt. My paper, “CEO Compensation and the Political Environment,” has been accepted for publication in the *Journal of Business Research (A)*. This work is co-authored with faculty at University of Texas at Arlington.

The study examines how U.S. political leadership shapes executive compensation. Using a large sample of 32,222 firm-year observations from 1992 through 2022, we find that CEO pay tends to be higher under Republican presidential administrations and Republican-controlled Congresses. We also find stronger pay-for-performance sensitivity during these periods.

These results point to a nuanced effect: higher compensation may reflect rent extraction, while stronger pay-for-performance alignment suggests more efficient contracting. Overall, the findings highlight how the political environment, a non-financial factor, plays a meaningful role in corporate decision-making.

This publication contributes to ongoing research on executive compensation and governance, and reflects the strong research engagement at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Academic Department
Achievement (100 Words Max)

I’m pleased to share a recent research contribution representing Cal Poly Humboldt. My paper, “CEO Compensation and the Political Environment,” has been accepted for publication in the *Journal of Business Research (A)*. This work is co-authored with faculty at University of Texas at Arlington.

The study examines how U.S. political leadership shapes executive compensation. Using a large sample of 32,222 firm-year observations from 1992 through 2022, we find that CEO pay tends to be higher under Republican presidential administrations and Republican-controlled Congresses. We also find stronger pay-for-performance sensitivity during these periods.

These results point to a nuanced effect: higher compensation may reflect rent extraction, while stronger pay-for-performance alignment suggests more efficient contracting. Overall, the findings highlight how the political environment, a non-financial factor, plays a meaningful role in corporate decision-making.

This publication contributes to ongoing research on executive compensation and governance, and reflects the strong research engagement at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Name(s) of People Involved
Humnath Panta, and Co-authors from University of Texas at Arlington
Type of Achievement
Faculty
Submitter's Full Name
Humnath Panta
Email
hp76@humboldt.edu
College
CPS