Fifth place in the top-earners league was taken by an unnamed director of Palmerston Holdings, the property company, who boosted his £20,000 basic pay to £911,608 with a bonus linked to growth in net assets.

His seven-year contract with Kentucky will pay him $2.3 million a year, with another $850,000 available in bonuses linked to his team's on-court and academic performances.

Since 1933, moreover, all Lincoln employees have received year-end bonuses linked to a combination of individual merit ratings and the company's profitability.

Ford already gives bonuses linked to performance and profits to its 5,000 top executives.

In essence, an earn-out acquisition is a purchase with a down payment, with the balance of the payment and potentially hefty bonuses linked to profit performance over three to four years.

Many Great people in the game have bonuses linked to the special ability of the Civilization, for example Mongolia's special ability is to increase the movement rate of great generals from 2 to 5.

Mr. Harris also contended that traders merited special attention because so much of their overall compensation comes from bonuses linked to the profits they earn.

It also gives annual bonuses linked to sales.

Corporations might be allowed to hold down base pay, but would be required to pay to all workers annual bonuses linked to profits - a change intended to keep pay linked to earnings.

If the Dolphins do sign Lott, it would probably be for a modest salary with bonuses linked to the number of games he plays and how and whether the Dolphins make the playoffs.