When is a Bonus not a Bonus?

If reports that the new CEO of Hewlett-Packard has received - among other 'compensation' - a (promised/guaranteed?) bonus of between 200 and 500 per cent of his basic salary one has to wonder what the meaning of the word bonus is. The practice of making a bonus nearly a fixed/guaranteed part of the salary package for CEO's (and other senior managers) makes a mockery of the word's meaning. It is also a slap in the face for the many employees of a company that make a contribution to the success of a business. When a new CEO joins a well-established company like HP he often is inheriting a business that has been build over many years and owes it's market position to many past and present employees.
11/10/2010