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Success: talent, intelligence or beauty ?

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  • GERGAUD, Olivier

    (Université de Reims (Troyes Institute of Technology) and Reims Management School, France)

  • GINSBURGH, Victor

    (Université Libre de Bruxelles, ECARES, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium and Université catholique de Louvain, CORE, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)

Abstract

We analyze the Celebrity 100 annual list of the world’s most “powerful celebrities” compiled and published by Forbes Magazine. The lists provide an interesting collection of people, that includes their earnings, and the perception of citizens concerning the attributes that made them become celebrities. We analyze the relationship between their earnings and the perceptions on their intelligence, talent, beauty and other attributes, and show that though beauty plays a role, intelligence and talent are more important.

Suggested Citation

  • GERGAUD, Olivier & GINSBURGH, Victor, 2010. "Success: talent, intelligence or beauty ?," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2010072, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    • Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2010072
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Price, Michael K., 2008. "Fund-raising success and a solicitor's beauty capital: Do blondes raise more funds?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 100(3), pages 351-354, September.
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. When will I be famous?
      by fiveminuteeconomist in Five Minute Economist on 2011-01-03 00:18:20

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    earnings; economic success; talent;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C4 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs
    • Z1 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics

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