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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:The Digital way of working
Moderator:QUARK::LIONELON
Created:Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5321
Total number of notes:139771

2334.0. "Management Ownership of Stock Required?" by CSC32::K_KINNEY () Tue Jan 19 1993 16:58

    
    
    	I just saw what Kodak is doing to motivate top management
    	and truly link compensation to performance. Maybe this is
    	something we should consider. An article from last week's
    	Wall Street Journal says that the Chairman of Eastman Kodak,
    	Kay Whitmore, has given his top executives five years to
    	purchase stock in the company either on the open market or
    	they need to exercise options. 
    
    	Kay Whitmore, himself, must own no less than four times his
    	annual salary in Kodak stock. Presidents, corporate officers
    	and his staff officers are required to purchase enough Kodak
    	stock to match triple, double or match their own salaries.
    
    	He believes that this will put what he calls "existing pay"
    	at risk or reward for performance rather than "bonus pay".
    	It is a fish or cut bait proposition. He says, and I quote,
    	"The new mix is not a cure-all. But it might reduce infighting."
    
    	It is interesting that his own investment will come to $3.8 
    	million. He only has $1million invested as of the year ending
    	1991. He still needs to get another $2.8 million in but he does
    	have five years to do that.
    
    	So what do you all think of a plan like this?  Think it is a
    	sound approach? I kind of like it. 
    
    							kim
    
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2334.1may be a good ideaCADSYS::HECTOR::RICHARDSONTue Jan 19 1993 17:245
    Maybe a good idea!  I *used* to own a few times my annual sdalary in
    DEC sotck, but I don't any more - and I didn't sell ANY of it (fool
    that I am).
    
    /Charlotte
2334.2YES!REGENT::REGENT::BLOCHERWed Jan 20 1993 01:1713
    I think its an excellent idea! That way if the stock drops
    they have to purchase more shares to cover the multiple of
    their salary. Their purchases create demand which helps bring 
    the price back up so that the rest of the shareholders don't 
    suffer too much. If it keeps dropping, then the officers end
    up owning all the stock (holding the bag?) and essentially
    become self-employed. If it goes up, then they can sell a few
    shares and collect their well-deserved profit/bonus.
    
    Long-term it would have a stabilizing effect on the market price,
    and would also promote and encourage long-term thinking/planning
    in running the business.
    
2334.3ECADSR::SHERMANSteve ECADSR::Sherman DTN 223-3326 MLO5-2/26aWed Jan 20 1993 12:327
    I like this idea, too.  Actually, it might be an improvement if Digital
    went back to granting stock options rather than cash as an incentive. 
    Seems to me that Digital has been moving AWAY from encouraging top
    executives to have vested interest in the company by giving them cash
    instead of stock.
    
    Steve
2334.4Stock not Cash....RUSVAX::RUSSELLSteve RussellThu Jan 21 1993 13:2916
I like this idea also.   .3   

Digital granting stock options rather than cash as an incentive. 

The incentive would be a set number of shares of stock, not a fixed
dollar amount, if the overall goals of the COMPANY are met. 
This way, if the stock goes up it's worth more money.

This would be a incentive not only to meet your own goals, but
and incentive to work with others to make sure that they meet
their goals as well.

Everyone wins....

    
Steve
2334.5MU::PORTERsavage pencilThu Jan 21 1993 15:1420
>Digital granting stock options rather than cash as an incentive.

We're stuck in a loop.   DEC used to have stock options as an incentive.
Now it has some other schemes (there's a different stock scheme for
rank-and-file, and I haven't quite bothered to explore the
ramifications of the change, and then there's this cash award
thing which people are talking about).

----------

re .0 etc.

Is the stock-holiding requirement expressed in static terms 
(like, N times annual salary based on a price of $X/share) or
will it really be necessary (as implied elsewhere in this note)
for them to maintain a certain dollar value of stock, hence
buy more stock as the value of the stock falls?

It wasn't really obvious that the latter would be the case,
although it's a nice idea...
2334.6How I think it worksCSC32::K_KINNEYThu Jan 21 1993 17:1612
    
    	re .5, I didn't see in the article how they were figuring
    	(for Kodak) the actual cash amount. To me, it would make
    	sense to check that quarterly or whatever. If the stock
    	price has risen, the individual could then sell off the
    	excess if s/he wanted and therein lies the bonus. If the
    	price has gone down, a purchase is in order and there is
    	the price to pay for that happening (the negated bonus if
    	you will) and the motivation to prevent that from happening.
    	
    							kim
    
2334.7I don't think soCSC32::K_BOUCHARDMon Jan 25 1993 16:596
    You didn't mention anything about penalties. There are none? This would
    be a great idea if there was some provision for enforcement,like say,a
    pay cut if the stock ownership requirements aren't met. Do you really
    think this could happen at DEC? Was anybody suggesting that?
    
    Ken
2334.8Penalties?CSC32::K_KINNEYMon Jan 25 1993 22:0217
    
    
    	What penalties? I think if I was in one of their positions
    	and the "boss" told me that was a condition of my continued
    	employment, I would do it. I don't work for Kodak so I don't
    	know how it is being implemented but that seems to be
    	a workable presentation of the idea.
    	Nobody was suggesting this could or would happen here. I thought
    	it was interesting what another company is doing to tie performance
    	to compensation. Looks like a pretty direct link to me. Either
    	the gang at the top in Kodak thinks they are capable of meeting
    	the challenge or they will fold their cards and leave the table.
    	Suffice it to say, the ones who accept this challenge are in the
    	game to win and they will do whatever they can to make certain
    	they do. If they win, Kodak does too.
    							kim