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In Search Of Excellent Management

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  • James V. Koch
  • Richard J. Cebula

Abstract

Despite important advances in recent years, no agreement exists concerning what constitutes management excellence. Specific knowledge of how managerial behaviour is perceived and evaluated by others will help to resolve unsettled questions about what is meant by management excellence and improve the actual decisions of managers. This article examines the determinants of managerial excellence as perceived by corporate CEOs, directors, and financial analysts in Fortune magazine's annual survey of the best‐managed American firms in 33 industries. While the firms perceived to be best managed are more profitable and less risky, and grow faster and reward their stockholders more than less well‐managed firms, these variables explain only about 30 per cent of the variance in management ratings. the firms perceived to be best managed have more involvement in international markets and research and development, while large firm size and firm diversification reflect negatively upon perceived managerial quality. the relative inability of conventional financial measures of firm performance to explain perceptions of managerial excellence underlines the complex nature both of these perceptions and strategic behaviour. the results support Varadarajan and Ramanujam's conclusion that excellent management depends upon a diverse set of competencies and values, as well as Chakravarthy's contention that the most important characteristic of firm performance is management's ability to transform the firm and adapt to a rapidly changing environment. By contrast, little support is found for the maximization of stockholder wealth criterion of Rappaport.

Suggested Citation

  • James V. Koch & Richard J. Cebula, 1994. "In Search Of Excellent Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 681-699, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:31:y:1994:i:5:p:681-699
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6486.1994.tb00634.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Vergin, Roger C. & Qoronfleh, M. W., 1998. "Corporate reputation and the stock market," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 19-26.
    2. J. -C. Spender, 2017. "BSchools and Their Business Models," Humanistic Management Journal, Springer, vol. 1(2), pages 187-204, April.
    3. Junttila, Juha & Kallunki, Juha-Pekka & Karja, Aki & Martikainen, Minna, 2005. "Stock market response to analysts' perceptions and earnings in a technology-intensive environment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 77-92.
    4. Palich, Leslie E. & Carini, Gary R. & Seaman, Samuel L., 2000. "The Impact of Internationalization on the Diversification-Performance Relationship: A Replication and Extension of Prior Research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 43-54, April.
    5. Seong Y. Cho & Cheol Lee, 2019. "Managerial Efficiency, Corporate Social Performance, and Corporate Financial Performance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 467-486, August.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • M12 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Personnel Management; Executives; Executive Compensation
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics
    • M29 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Other

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