Public Subsidization Versus Private Donations: A Study of Incentives and Operational Performance
UA Accounting Department Working Paper No. 00-5
33 Pages Posted: 27 Dec 2000
Date Written: November 2000
Abstract
This study uses a hospital setting to explore incentives and performance in organizations that are subsidized by taxes and governed by elected boards of directors. This governance system introduces incentives to over-monitor CEO performance, constraining administrative decision-making and leading to poor performance. Using data from California Hospitals for the period 1980-1998, we compare municipal district hospitals to a sample of non-profit hospitals. While district hospitals' charges are lower, their subsidies and donations are larger. Overall, we find that district hospitals have lower operating margins that deteriorate more rapidly in a difficult business environment and lower compensation for CEOs.
Keywords: Tax subsidization, Public monitoring, Operational performance
JEL Classification: G34, I18, M41, M46, L31, L32
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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