First published in 1971, this collection of fourteen contemporaneous European research studies on managerial backgrounds and on the patterns, roles, and evolution of managerial careers examine managerial motivations in a broader context than the traditional analysis of psychological qualities. Most of the studies suggest or demonstrate the usefulness of a typology of industrial leaders — whether constructed from individual characteristics, the characteristics of the firm or the characteristics of the economy as a whole — that avoids isolating industrial executives from outside factors. This book will be of interest to students of business, sociology and industrial history.