This surge of stock market wealth has meant that executive pay is racing well ahead of economic growth.
As with executive pay generally, once it's set, it has nowhere to go but up.
It would be easy, given the potential for abuse, to condemn all executive pay packages.
Mr Kaplan concludes by advising against laws that would force shareholders to vote on executive pay.
The basic problem, which is global, is that executive pay has become unrelated to performance.
He recommended making changes to executive pay so some rewards were based on longer-term results.
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Under its rules, shareholders are required to approve or reject executive pay packages every year.
Executive pay has increased since 2008 while the number of people employed has decreased.
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The Laborers are frequent plaintiffs in securities lawsuits against corporations, and vocal critics of executive pay.
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Part of the reason for runaway executive pay is booming demand for staff, at all levels.
Under the Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law, investors began casting nonbinding votes on executive pay in 2011.
And such a difference from the normal stories about how executive pay just climbs ever higher.
To curb the excesses of executive pay, Vince Cable has passed the buck back to shareholders.
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Labour has called for "more responsible and better capitalism" and policies to tackle excessive executive pay.
Labour's measures to tackle high executive pay include increasing transparency by simplifying remuneration packages.
The coalition is expected to announce its policies on executive pay later this weekend.
McCain also called for a cap on executive pay for companies getting federal help.
The influential investors to whom I have spoken are not opposed to big executive pay per se.
One hot topic this year is whether or not companies should institute advisory voting on executive pay.
But years of torrid growth in executive pay have, in my opinion, finally come home to roost.
Even so, 34% of voting shares opposed Monsanto's executive pay packages at its Jan. 25 annual meeting.
Even though many investors are frustrated with executive pay packages, firing CEOs can be an expensive option.
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The conspicuous excesses of capitalism may likewise be curbed: shareholders may clamp down on silly executive pay.
As a result of these pressures, the day is drawing nearer when executive pay will be scaled back.
On Monday, Business Secretary Vince Cable announced a series of measures designed to rein in excessive executive pay.
Investors in Dutch companies have had a binding vote since 2004 on material changes to executive pay policies.
Although not based on deep research, executive pay at this level is would be a serious concern.
As it should, executive pay, particularly CEO pay, dropped dramatically when the stock market and economy collapsed in 2008.
Only by creating new plans with lower performance goals could they quickly return executive pay to its pre-2008 levels.
Instead, the board has promised a "thorough review" of its executive pay policy.
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