I was being deliberately dismissive of the skills deployed in other "trades". But you actually make the point very well:
- if they don't perform they don't make any money,
- whatever they make, my income is largely unaffected unless I buy a painting or CD etc,
- rarity and taste drives perceived value
And this is no different to the position a top business leader enjoys:
- they can make a lot of money if they are successful,
- they continue to make a lot (for a while) even if they are trading on past successes
- ultimately if they don't deliver, they are fired and make nothing
We could reasonably question what the definition of success is - maximising dividends, share price growth, incomes etc. The most "successful" companies are often found at both ends of the business ethos spectrum:
- pile it high, sell it cheap, exploit suppliers and staff (JD Sports??)
- pay the best, recruit the best, reward innovation, share the fruits of success (Apple??)
In summary it is all about supply and demand!
|