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Bridging Executive Succession Gaps: Factors that Most Accelerate Executive Development

Cameron, Carolynn
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1493311234286034

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Case Western Reserve University, Management.
The S&P 500 companies account for 75% of American equity markets, and according to a recent Korn/Ferry Executive Survey, 98% of firms consider CEO succession planning to be an integral part of the corporate governance process. Despite the importance, only 35% of respondents considered themselves prepared for the departure of their CEO (Korn Ferry, 2010) and as much as 40% lack enough talent to replace executives and high potentials (Talent Management.com, 2011). The risk to global economies of mismanaged executive succession is significant. Not only is there significant risk to current financial performance, but risk to missing growth targets necessary to fuel economic growth domestically and abroad. Fueling the succession challenge is the global economic slowdown that began in 2008 which has since stalled the progress of many careers. Much has been written on the topic of the succession planning process, value and organizational impact; however, little has been written on the individual factors that accelerate organizational ascension. This mixed-methods three-phased study is conducted within a single S&P50 enterprise and seeks to understand individual characteristics that enable ascension to the most senior levels of leadership. Conducting all research within xiii one high-performing and well-admired long-standing firm creates a valuable set of findings. We find that while career experiences do indeed have a significant role to play among those who ascend, the impact is only effective when mediated through other constructs, two of which being career commitment (referring to both the commitment one has to one's profession or occupation and the ambition to ascend to higher level positions) and cosmopolitanism (a worldview that transcends any particular culture or environment). Cosmopolitanism has not previously been explored in the area of executive development, succession planning, and readiness. We also found that boundaryless and protean career orientations have differing effects on career ascension. Boundaryless career orientation, which is characterized by engaging in an expansive set of unique career experiences, and by integrating the learning from all aspects of one’s work, family and community life, positively affects career ascension. Protean career orientation, which is characterized by individuals who seek to maintain personal autonomy in career decisions instead of leaving career planning to the organization, has an insignificant effect on career ascension, supporting the succession planning and talent management theories that career development at the top of a firm is a process managed by the organization and not the individual. Our research suggests that successor identification should include aspects such as cosmopolitanism, boundarylessness, and career commitment. Future research should include a repeated study in another similarly sized firm and further explore the role of cosmopolitanism in leadership development.
Richard Boland, Jr. (Committee Chair)
Carlsson Bo (Committee Member)
Liozu Stephan (Committee Member)
Buse Kathleen (Committee Member)
166 p.
Management; Organizational Behavior
executive development; succession management; executive effectiveness; global leadership; leadership development; career experiences; cosmopolitanism

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Cameron, C. (2017). Bridging Executive Succession Gaps: Factors that Most Accelerate Executive Development [Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1493311234286034

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Cameron, Carolynn. Bridging Executive Succession Gaps: Factors that Most Accelerate Executive Development. 2017. Case Western Reserve University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1493311234286034.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Cameron, Carolynn. "Bridging Executive Succession Gaps: Factors that Most Accelerate Executive Development." Doctoral dissertation, Case Western Reserve University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1493311234286034

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1493311234286034
370
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.