I think it's fairly obvious that Apple is exceptional, and Jobs is exceptional. How do we know people like Jobs are rare? Well, have you heard of any others?
Then again, maybe it's the combination of Jobs, Silicon Valley, and that formative era that is rare. Take a young Steve Jobs and put him anywhere else, and who knows what would happen? I doubt he would end up in business--not a legitimate one, at least.
His first business was quasi-illegitimate, he and Woz were selling Blue Boxes so the average Joe could cheat MaBell. (I believe they bragged about thermite lined units for the mafia.)
Funny how 40 years later he's got one of the most restricted phone systems.
Then again, maybe it's the combination of Jobs, Silicon Valley, and that formative era that is rare. Take a young Steve Jobs and put him anywhere else, and who knows what would happen? I doubt he would end up in business--not a legitimate one, at least.