Strategies and Styles: The Role of the Centre in Managing Diversified Corporations

All management styles have their own advantages and drawbacks. The task of the chief executive is to select and successfully implement a style that fits the needs of a corporation's portfolio, building on the advantages of the style while avoiding its drawbacks. This book explains the role of the corporate centre in large diversified corporations. Based on a study of 16 leading multinationals, it investigates the relationship between corporate, divisional and business units, and shows how the centre can choose a style that adds value to the business in its portfolio. Building on Chandler's account of the role of the centre in "Strategy and Structure", the authors present a new and effective analysis of the management process in diversified corporations.