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The relative stability of national career patterns in European top management careers in the age of globalisation: A comparative study in France/Germany/Great Britain and Switzerland

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  • Davoine, Eric
  • Ravasi, Claudio

Abstract

While top management career patterns are highly embedded in national institutional contexts, the phenomenon of globalization has recently called into question the future of these patterns. In this article we discuss the stability of certain features of national top management profiles as well as the emergence of a new globalized managerial elite characterized by new elements legitimating top management authority. We collected biographical and career related information from 916 top managers employed by 111 companies located in France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland. Our data shows a certain erosion of national models due to the gradual arrival of non-national top managers, but this process occurs very slowly despite the strong international dimension of the companies studied.

Suggested Citation

  • Davoine, Eric & Ravasi, Claudio, 2013. "The relative stability of national career patterns in European top management careers in the age of globalisation: A comparative study in France/Germany/Great Britain and Switzerland," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 152-163.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:31:y:2013:i:2:p:152-163
    DOI: 10.1016/j.emj.2012.06.001
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    11. Ponomareva, Yuliya & Uman, Timur & Bodolica, Virginia & Wennberg, Karl, 2022. "Cultural diversity in top management teams: Review and agenda for future research," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4).
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    14. Brinette, Souad & Benkraiem, Ramzi & Khemiri, Sabrina, 2024. "Does directors’ educational background influence financing innovation through corporate venture capital investments? Evidence from France," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
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    16. Florence Villesèche & Evis Sinani, 2023. "From Presence to Influence: Gender, Nationality and Network Centrality of Corporate Directors," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 37(2), pages 486-504, April.
    17. Ravasi, Claudio, 2013. "Les top managers internationaux des grandes entreprises suisses: profils et parcours de carrière," FSES Working Papers 445, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Freiburg/Fribourg Switzerland.
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    21. Greve, Peder & Biemann, Torsten & Ruigrok, Winfried, 2015. "Foreign executive appointments: A multilevel examination," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 674-686.
    22. Schmid, Stefan & Wurster, Dennis J., 2017. "International work experience: Is it really accelerating the way to the management board of MNCs?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 26(5), pages 991-1008.

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