Practices and characteristics of effective executives in technology-based multinational corporations : analysis of Anglo-American, Nordic-European and Far-Eastern managers

This is a study that examines the practices and characteristics of executive-level managers in technology-based multinational corporations. Two overriding questions are designed to be answered: 1. What do effective executive managers do? 2. How do top company executives perform their job relative to these effectiveness-based criteria? These questions are answered in part in terms of the literature and in terms of field research performed on executive managers. The research has focused on the examination of managers in environments characterized by a high degree of change. From a synthesis of research-based skills and abilities on effective executives identified through extensive literature search an "Executive Management Inventory" (EMI) was developed. Subsequent to testing and validation, the EMI was used to measure work performed by corporate managers in the international environment. The sample forming the data-base of this research comprised executive managers, principally General Managers, employed in,multinational corporations headquartered in six nations worldwide: United States United Kingdom West Germany Sweden Japan Korea The six nations were further classified into three regional clusters: Anglo-American Nordic-European Far-Eastern Differences among these executive managers are statistically tested for significance. Interviews were also conducted with successful executives representing each of the six nations comprising the data-base. Not only are conclusions drawn in the conventional way, but inferences are also made with reference to the larger population.