The Demand for Executive Skills

63 Pages Posted: 28 Jun 2021 Last revised: 16 Feb 2023

See all articles by Stephen Hansen

Stephen Hansen

University College London - Department of Economics

Tejas Ramdas

Cornell University

Raffaella Sadun

Harvard University - Strategy Unit; London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP); National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR)

Joseph Fuller

Harvard University

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: June 2021

Abstract

We use a unique corpus of job descriptions for C-suite positions to document skills requirements in top managerial occupations across a large sample of firms. A novel algorithm maps the text of each executive search into six separate skill clusters reflecting cognitive, interpersonal, and operational dimensions. The data show an increasing relevance of social skills in top managerial occupations, and a greater emphasis on social skills in larger and more information intensive organizations. The results suggest the need for training, search and governance mechanisms able to facilitate the match between firms and top executives along multiple and imperfectly observable skills.

Suggested Citation

Hansen, Stephen and Ramdas, Tejas and Sadun, Raffaella and Fuller, Joseph, The Demand for Executive Skills (June 2021). NBER Working Paper No. w28959, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3875126

Stephen Hansen (Contact Author)

University College London - Department of Economics ( email )

Drayton House, 30 Gordon Street
30 Gordon Street
London, WC1H 0AX
United Kingdom

Tejas Ramdas

Cornell University ( email )

Ithaca, NY 14853
United States

Raffaella Sadun

Harvard University - Strategy Unit ( email )

Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field Road
Boston, 02163
United States

HOME PAGE: http://people.hbs.edu/rsadun

London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) ( email )

Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
United Kingdom

HOME PAGE: http://cep.lse.ac.uk/_new/staff/person.asp?id=1758

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

London
United Kingdom

Joseph Fuller

Harvard University ( email )

1875 Cambridge Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

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