Wall Street and Main Street: What Contributes to the Rise in the Highest Incomes?

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kaplan, Steven N.; Rauh, Joshua
• 署名单位: University of Chicago; National Bureau of Economic Research
• 刊物名称: REVIEW OF FINANCIAL STUDIES
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0893-9454
• DOI: 10.1093/rfs/hhp006
• 发表日期: 2010
• 页码: 1004
• 关键词: ceo pay; INEQUALITY; performance

摘要

We study how much of the top end of the income distribution is represented by four sectors non-financial-firm top executives (Main Street); investment bankers and hedge, private equity, and mutual fund investors (Wall Street); corporate lawyers; and athletes and celebrities. Wall Street individuals comprise a higher percentage of the top income brackets than nonfinancial executives of public companies. While top executives' representation in the top brackets has increased from 1994 to 2004, Wall Street's representation has likely increased even more. We discuss the implications of our findings for different explanations for the increased skewness at the highest income levels. (JEL D31, G34, J33, M52)