Abstract:
This dissertation presents annual measures of earnings inequality for 255 metro regions in the U.S. for the years 1990 to 2004. Measures of industrial structure are also calculated for each metro to observe whether there is an association generally between industrial structure and earnings inequality, with particular attention paid to the role of the financial services and information technology industries. It is found that while the financial services industry made a clear and significant contribution to the growth of earnings inequality in metro regions, the role of the information technology industry is not clear. It is instead found that the professional & business services industry--in addition to financial services--made an important contribution to the growth of earnings inequality in metro areas over the 1990 to 2004 period. These findings have important implications for financial regulatory and corporate governance policies.
