Sorry, let me clarify. My primary point was "The motivation to pay more for talent is to make more money" (quoting myself). Companies won't pay top dollar if t

Sorry, let me clarify. My primary point was "The motivation to pay more for talent is to make more money" (quoting myself). Companies won't pay top dollar if they don't think they will make more money by hiring top talent (#2 above), or they don't have the money to afford the top talent (#1 above), or...let me add #3: Companies won't pay more for top talent if they can acquire that talent for cheaper (which happens when there is no competition for that talent). Tho #3 is kind of a metafeature - the ecosystem needed for #3 to be satisfied requires many companies that all satisfy #1 and #2.