Top executivesAll organizations have specific goals and objectives that they strive to meet. Top executives devise strategies and formulate policies to ensure that these objectives are met. Although they have a wide range of titles—such as chief executive officer, chief operating officer, board chair, president, vice president, school superintendent, county administrator, or tax commissioner—all formulate policies and direct the operations of businesses and corporations, nonprofit institutions, governments, and other organizations. A corporation�s goals and policies are established by the chief executive officer in collaboration with other top executives, who are overseen by a board of directors. In a large corporation, the chief executive officer meets frequently with subordinate executives to ensure that operations are conducted in accordance with these policies. The chief executive officer of a corporation retains overall accountability; however, a chief operating officer may be delegated several responsibilities, including the authority to oversee executives who direct the activities of various departments and implement the organization�s policies on a day-to-day basis. In publicly held and nonprofit corporations, the board of directors ultimately is accountable for the success or failure of the enterprise, and the chief executive officer reports to the board. The nature of other high-level executives� responsibilities depends upon the size of the organization. In large organizations, the duties of such executives are highly specialized. Some managers, for instance, are responsible for the overall performance of one aspect of the organization, such as manufacturing, marketing, sales, purchasing, finance, personnel, training, administrative services, computer and information systems, property management, transportation, or the legal services department. (Some of these and other management occupations are discussed elsewhere in this section of the Handbook.) In smaller organizations, such as independent retail stores or small manufacturers, a partner, owner, or general manager often is responsible for purchasing, hiring, training, quality control, and day-to-day supervisory duties. Chief financial officers direct the organization�s financial goals, objectives, and budgets. They oversee the investment of funds and manage associated risks, supervise cash management activities, execute capital-raising strategies to support a firm�s expansion, and deal with mergers and acquisitions. Chief information officers are responsible for the overall technological direction of their organizations. They are increasingly involved in the strategic business plan of a firm as part of the executive team. To perform effectively, they also need knowledge of administrative procedures, such as budgeting, hiring, and supervision. These managers propose budgets for projects and programs, and make decisions on staff training and equipment purchases. They hire and assign computer specialists, information technology workers, and support personnel to carry out specific parts of the projects. They supervise the work of these employees, review their output, and establish administrative procedures and policies. Chief information officers also provide organizations with the vision to master information technology as a competitive tool. Chief executives and legislators at the Federal, State, and local levels direct government activities and pass laws that affect us daily. These officials consist of the President and Vice President of the United States; members of Congress; State governors and lieutenant governors; members of the State legislators; county chief executives and commissioners; city, town, and township council members; mayors; and city, county, town, and township managers. (Many small communities have top government officials who are volunteers and receive no salary. These individuals are not included in the employment or salary data cited in this Handbook statement.) Most chief executives are elected by their constituents, but many managers are hired by a local government executive, council, or commission, to whom they are directly responsible. These officials formulate and establish government policy and develop Federal, State, or local laws and regulations. Chief executives, government—like their counterparts in the private sector—have overall responsibility for the operation of their organizations. Working with legislators, they set goals and arrange programs to attain them. These executives also appoint department heads, who oversee the civil servants who carry out programs enacted by legislative bodies. As in the private sector, government chief executives oversee budgets and ensure that resources are used properly and that programs are carried out as planned. Chief executive officers carry out a number of other important functions, such as meeting with legislators and constituents to determine the level of support for proposed programs. In addition, they often nominate citizens to boards and commissions, encourage business investment, and promote economic development in their communities. To do all of these varied tasks effectively, chief executives of large governments rely on a staff of highly skilled aides to research issues that concern the public. Executives who control small governmental bodies, however, often do this work by themselves. Legislators are elected officials who develop, enact, or amend laws. They include U.S. Senators and Representatives, State senators and representatives, and county, city, and town commissioners and council members. Legislators introduce, examine, and vote on bills to pass official legislation. In preparing such legislation, they study staff reports and hear testimony from constituents, representatives of interest groups, board and commission members, and others with an interest in the issue under consideration. They usually must approve budgets and the appointments of nominees for leadership posts whose names are submitted by the chief executive. In some bodies, the legislative council appoints the city, town, or county manager. General and operations managers plan, direct, or coordinate the operations of companies or public and private sector organizations. Their duties include formulating policies, managing daily operations, and planning the use of materials and human resources, but are too diverse and general in nature to be classified in any one area of management or administration, such as personnel, purchasing, or administrative services. In some organizations, the duties of general and operations managers may overlap the duties of chief executive officers. Related news articles Ford Executive: No Talks With Ghosn - 16 Oct 2006 MSN Money...has had no discussions with Nissan and Renault Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn about forming a global alliance, a top Ford executive said Monday night. ... UnitedHealth chief executive to quit over options irregularities - 16 Oct 2006 Cleveland Plain Dealer,...saying Chairman and Chief Executive Officer William McGuire would step down because an outside report found that his option grants "were likely backdated." Сge ... Interview with Larry Hall, chief executive officer, Hotel Booking ... - 16 Oct 2006 m-Travel.com...in the industry. And Hotel Booking Solutions Inc. chief executive officer sees it in two areas. “First, companies that provide ... Appointment Of Chief Executive And Sec Of Defence - 16 Oct 2006 Scoop.co.nz (press release),The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble today announced the appointment of John McKinnon as the Chief Executive and Secretary of Defence, Ministry of ... Sasol Appoints Hendrik George Dijkgraaf As Non-executive Director ... - 16 Oct 2006 Trading Markets,The company noted that Dijkgraaf, who retired as the Chief Executive Officer of Gasunie Trade and Supply BV during September 2006, and held various positions ... Worksoft Appoints Bruce Johnson as Chief Executive Officer - 16 Oct 2006 Market Wire (press release)Worksoft, Inc., the leading innovator of automated software testing solutions, today announced the appointment of Bruce Johnson as chief executive officer, and ... British Advertising Association Appoints New Chief Executive - 16 Oct 2006 Média Infó,The Advertising Association (AA) announced that its new Chief Executive and Director-General will be Peta Buscombe. Peta Buscombe's ... More information on Top executives from The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook Overview of Top executives occupation Number of Top executives in the U.S. Salary and earnings for Top executives Working conditions for Top executives Significant points for Top executives Training requirements for Top executives Labor Information Home | Occupational data by city | Search Rainforests | Madagascar | What's new |