High Flyers

This book seeks to find the distinctive marks of executive success. There are a number of aspects to the study. Top executives of major companies have been interviewed to establish information on their own qualities, background and career. They were also asked to identify a group of "high flying" managers in their organization. A study has been made of these managers, using interviews, questionnaires and psychometric techniques. A matched comparison group of average managers is also studied. From this data the researchers have set out to identify the characteristics which distinguish the high flyer. A range of industries has also been sampled. This includes traditional areas such as engineering and chemicals, through to more modern and "high tech" industries such as electronics and pharmaceuticals. In this way it is intended to establish what differences, if any, exist between managers in different industries, particularly between older declining activities and newer growth areas. Managerial characteristics in relation to company performance within an industry are also examined. Case studies are quoted throughout to illustrate the theories being developed.