The Leading Edge: Ceo's Who Turned Their Companies Around : What They Did and How They Did It

Interviews with ten successful CEO's reveal the actions and strategies that made leading competitors out of companies that were struggling

This penetrating study of top management, its problems and its future may prove revealing to executives at all levels. Potts, business editor of the San Francisco Examiner, and Behr, a financial editor of the Washington Post, examine the situation at many major firms, from GE and du Pont to AT & T and IBM, focusing on difficulties common to all, principally the necessity of competing in the world marketplace. They reach two main conclusions: overdiversification is a thing of the past, as companies learn that venturing into areas where they have no experience is chancy; the belief that a top manager can manage any business is not necessarily true, as expertise in a specific area makes a CEO better at his or her job. The book includes in-depth looks at Disney, GM and Borg-Warner, each of which faced different problems and is engaged in solving them in different ways. 25,000 first printing; $25,000 ad/promo.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This is the story of ten very different companiesGeneral Electric, Martin-Marietta, RCA, Walt Disney Productions, Coca-Cola, Borg-Warner, AT&T, National Intergroup, Gould, and General Motorsand their leaders. Potts and Behr identify eight lessons that make it possible for these companies to deal with the rapidly changing environments that are putting pressure on them. The stories are interesting as are most stories about talented CEOs; the lessons to be learned are not new by any means: e.g., know your company's strengths, anticipate changes in your competitive surroundings, never lose sight of the future. Recommended for only the largest business collections. Michael D. Kathman, St. John's Univ., Collegeville, Minn.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.