Multipositional and transnational members of the Hungarian economic elite at the end of the 1990s: Their social characteristics and income chances

Based on empirical research, the paper investigates two segments of the Hungarian economic elite: multipositionals – who hold three or more positions – and the leaders of transnational companies. It investigates the social characteristics and income chances of the two groups; income chances are measured in relative terms. Multipositionality was more frequent among leaders of private than state-owned companies, and less typical among managers of foreign than Hungarian companies. Multipositionals had two and a half, transnationals more than three times better income chances than the rest of the economic elite. Regression models revealed that besides multipositionality and foreign ownership, middle class social origin and a continuous career also had a positive effect on income chances.