Routes to the Top • ChristianSchluter

J. König, C. Schluter, C. Schröder(2025). “Routes to the Top.” Review of Income and Wealth, Volume 71, Issue2, May 2025.

Abstract: Who makes it to the top? We use the leading socio-economic survey in Germany supplemented by extensive data on the rich to answer this question. We identify the key predictors for belonging to the top 1 percent of income, wealth, and both distributions jointly. Although we consider many, only a few traits matter. Entrepreneurship and self-employment in conjunction with a sizeable inheritance of company assets is the most important covariate combination across all rich groups. Our data suggest that all top 1 percent groups, but especially the joint top 1 percent, are predominantly populated by intergenerational entrepreneurs.

Cite (toggle to un/fold)

@article{SchluterROIW25,
  title = {Routes to the Top},
  author={ K{\"o}nig, Johannes, Schluter, Christian and Schr{\"o}der, Carsten},
  journal = {Review of Income and Wealth},
  pages = {},
  volume = {71},
  issue ={2},
  year = {2025},
  url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/roiw.70015}
}