1. Research on Correlation Between Technical Investment and Income
- Gallup Survey: Employees participating in skill training have an annual income increase of approximately $8,000 (8.6% growth)
- Self-study: Brings 15.3% salary growth vs. 5.2% for employer-provided training
- US Market: Senior salaries are 69% higher than junior salaries
2. Differences Across Countries
| Country | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| USA | Right-skewed distribution, top talent has extremely high income |
| China | Rapid early growth, ‘35-year-old phenomenon’ causes career bottlenecks |
| Japan | Seniority-based wages, slower salary increases |
3. Diminishing Marginal Returns
- First 5 years: Technical investment returns are highest
- Mid-career: Salary growth slows, “senior engineer bottleneck” appears
- Inflection point: Pure technical investment has limited income growth
4. Recommendations for Breaking Salary Stagnation
- Develop management, product, or commercialization abilities
- Choose scarce, high-demand technology paths
- Embrace cross-functional opportunities
- Proactively pursue promotions or role transitions