Examining the Tradeoff Between Fixed Pay and Performance-Related Pay: A Choice Experiment Approach

Abstract

Previous investigations on performance-related pay have mainly analyzed its relationships with earnings, productivity, and job satisfaction. Less attention has been devoted to the investigations of individuals’ preferences for the performance-related payment system per se and consequently the tradeoff between fixed pay and performance-related pay. In this paper, we first use a choice experiment approach to investigate the tradeoff between fixed pay and performance-related pay, and then link the tradeoff for each individual with their risk preferences. Our main results indicate that individuals’ preferences for the payment system per se and the magnitude of tradeoffs between fixed pay and performance pay are different according to their risk preferences.