Replies to post #74928 on Biotech Values

[jbog]

Wallstar,

Employee stock options in my view should be done away with. They have created so much implied wealth over the years that it has confused everything.

If Google wants to pay Joe the programmer two million bucks, god bless them. Pay it and reflect the total two million on their p/l statement.

options have been a bad experiment.

[apljack]

OT: Financial incentives

"Everyone needs to have ownership of the problems and the upside - hence stock options."

Why not go one step further. Require anyone with these types of incentives to put significant skin into the game. Make them put money on the table of their own that could be lost if they lose money, if their unit loses money, and/or if the co. loses money. This would certainly stand the current paradigm on its ear.

Until something like this happens, it can be said that professionals with big options packages and financial professionals who make the bulk of their money through such incentives have less moral integrity than even personal injury lawyers. At least when a personal injury lawyer puts on a case, they spend their own money (their risk) in developing their case. No win, No payoff and loss on the balance sheet. Where is the similar risk for someone working on Wall Street making such big bonuses for "performance" or even fund managers who make money regardless of whether or not they've made money for their customers.

aj