Study on the characteristics of top managers and strategic options in different industries over a time period

Abstract

This research examines the effect of the characteristics of top managers on the strategic options of firms in different industries. The sample consists of 191 medium-sized industrial firms in the following industries: food, textiles and clothing, chemicals and plastics, and metallurgy and metallomechanics. Data refer to the beginning and end of the 1990s. The study was developed using upper echelon theory and demonstrates the existence of different relations between manager characteristics and strategic options, depending on the activity of firms. These relationships vary over time in association with the economic and social context.