The Influence of German Top Executives on Corporate Policy and Firm Performance

This study contributes to empirical top executive research on the relative importance of German CEOs and CFOs. The analyses are based on a unique dataset that includes observations from more than 300 CEOs and 100 CFOs working for 110 publicly listed German firms that operated in 10 different industries between 1983 and 2002.

The question of whether strategic leaders really matter is important to a wide array of topics. Three essays contribute to empirical top executive research on the relative importance of German CEOs and CFOs. The analyses are based on a unique dataset that includes observations from more than 300 CEOs and 100 CFOs working for 110 publicly listed German firms that operated in 10 different industries between 1983 and 2002. The first essay describes and analyzes characteristics of top executives. The second essay examines the existence and size of top executive-specific effects as well as industry-, company- and executive-level moderating factors. The third essay sheds light on the circumstances under which CEOs and CFOs matter the most (or least).

Autorentext

Marcel Normann, born in Neuwied; 1996-2000 University of Mannheim, Graduate Studies; 1998-1999 Rutgers University, Graduate Studies; 2003-2011 EBS Business School, PhD Studies; 1998-1999 Fulbright; 1998-2000 Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes; 1997-2000 Stiftung der Deutschen Wirtschaft; since 2000 management consultant.