Motives and Behaviors of American and European CEOs. A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Leadership Styles

This paper and the underlying research looks at the needs and motives of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) in Europe and the United States. The first objective of this study is to gain insight into the personality of CEOs and to better understand the motives that drive their behaviors. The second objective is a comparison between American and European leadership styles at the top management level. In order to measure the motives of CEOs, David G. Winter’s “motive imagery”, a method of measuring personality, will be applied. The findings will provide information about the dominant motives of American and European CEOs and contribute to a better understanding of the behavioral aspects of corporate leadership.