The book deals with the controversial and fantasized subject of the leaders of large companies and contemporary administrations. The authors successively analyze the social and ethnic origins, genders, training, social networks, typical careers, functions performed, political and religious commitments, relationships to finance, diversity and ethics, etc. of senior executives around the world. They trace the evolution of these different parameters and compare them between national cultures. As good academics, they draw their reflections from the works of the most prestigious sociologists and economists: Weber, Veblen, Schumpeter, Marx, Bourdieu, etc. They also engage in useful semantic exercises, showing in particular the diversity of their titles: senior executive, “boss”, professional, president, managing director, Chief Executive Officer, director-manager, etc.
The authors highlight the specificities of French leaders, both in terms of their education in the Grandes Écoles (X, HEC, ENA, etc.) and their status (more salaried), their backgrounds (more financial and/or organizational), their family backgrounds (more affluent), their careers (less international) and their networks (anchored in the senior civil service).
The book is well documented and clearly written. It helps to demystify, at least partially, certain legends about “big heir bosses, rentiers and immovable”, who sit at the head of large Western companies.
F-X. Dudouet is a research director at CNRS and A.Vion is a professor of sociology at the University of Nantes.
Review by J-J. PLUCHART