In spite of the IT-bubble crash or the financial crisis, income for top management level
remains at a significant level. It can be hard to justify certain compensation levels as fair in a
period of sinking share prices, corporate layoffs and government bailouts. The question of
“how should the remuneration of executives, chairpersons and members of boards and
committees be managed in order to be fair from the points of view of the individuals
remunerated, the shareholders, the employees, the clients and the public?” (Hilb, 2006: 240) is
increasingly important, and the financial crisis could probably provide some lessons.