Contents
Preface to the Paperback Edition
Preface
1. INTRODUCTION
The Participants in the Study
A Few Examples: Gaines, Thompson, and Richardson
The Findings and Their Presentations: Some Initial Comments
The Organization of the Book
The Major Themes
2. THE GENERAL MANAGEMENT JOBS: KEY CHALLENGES AND DILEMMAS
The Jobs, the Context and the Emergent Demands
Job Demands I: Challenges and Dilemmas Associated with the Responsibilities
Job Demands II: Challenges and Dilemmas Associated with the Relationships
The Overall Demands: A Summary
Differences in Job Demands
Seven Different Kinds of GM Jobs
Different Business and Corporate Settings: The Impact of Size, Age, Performance Level, and Other Factors
Summary and Discussion
3. THE GENERAL MANAGERS: PERSONAL AND BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS
Common Personal Characteristics
Basic Personality
Knowledge and Relationships
Job-related Reasons for the Similarities
Common Background Characteristics
Childhood Family Environment
Educational and Career Experiences
Possible Reasons for the Background Similarities
Differences in Personal and Background Characteristics
Age-related Differences
Job-related Reasons for Individual Differences
Main Factors Creating Misfits
Summary and Discussion
4. GENERAL MANAGERS IN ACTION: PART I -- SIMILARITIES IN BEHAVIOR
The Approach
Agenda Setting
Network Building
Execution: Getting Networks to Implement Agendas
Underlying Reasons for the Basic Approach
Forces Behind the Agenda-setting Process
Forces Behind the Network-building Process
Forces Behind the Execution Process
Manifestations of This Approach in Daily Behavior
The Twelve Visible Patterns in How They Use Their Time
A Specific Example
Job-related Reasons for the Similarities
Patterns Directly Related to Their Approach to the Job
The Efficiency of Seemingly Inefficient Behavior
Summary and Discussion
5. GENERAL MANAGERS IN ACTION: PART II -- DIFFERENCES IN BEHAVIOR
The Basic Patterns
The Range of Differences
Antecedents
Tom Long
The Job and Its Context
Tom
Tom's Approach to the Job
Daily Behavior
Richard Papolis
The Job and Its Context
Richard
Richard's Approach to the Job
Daily Behavior
Long and Papolis: A Few Final Observations
Differences in Behavior, Their Antecedents, and Performance
Summary and Discussion
f0 6. SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND IMPLICATIONS FOR INCREASING GM PERFORMANCE
Summary
Job Demands
The Personal Characteristics of Effective General Managers
Similarities in the Behavior of Effective General Managers
Differences in Behavior
The Overall Findings: A Summary Comment
Implications for Corporate Selection, Development, and Staffing Practices
Finding GMs: Insiders or Outsiders
Developing GMs
Designing and/or Selecting Training Programs
Matching People and Jobs
Implications for Managing General Managers
Helping New GMs Get Up to Speed
The Role of Formal Planning and Performance Appraisal
Allowing Appropriate Differences
Minimizing the "I Can Do Anything" Syndrome
Implications for Formal Education
Admissions
The Curriculum
Career Management
Broadening Perspectives
Implications for Management Theory and Research
Key Implications for Managerial Behavior Theory
Key Implications for Research Topics
Key Methodological Implications
APPENDIX A THE STUDY
The Process of Inquiry
An Example of the Methodology in Action
The Process in Retrospect: A Few Reflections
APPENDIX B INTERVIEW GUIDES
For Associates of the GMs
For the General Managers
APPENDIX C QUESTIONNAIRES
The Strong-Campbell
The Occupational Scales
Other Scales
The Background Questionnaire
APPENDIX D RÉSUMÉS FOR THE GENERAL MANAGERS
Gerald Allen
Bob Anderson
John Cohen
Dan Donahue
Frank Firono
Terry Franklin
Chuck Gaines
Paul Jackson
Tom Long
Jack Martin
Richard Papolis
Richard Poullin
Michael Richardson
B.J. Sparksman
John Thompson
APPENDIX E APPRAISING GM PERFORMANCE
The Method Employed
The Rating
Notes
Bibliography
Index
