Passing the baton: The importance of sequence, timing, technique and communication in executive succession

Abstract

The extensive literature on executive succession gives only scant attention to the actual process of succession. To better understand the dynamics of the succession process, the analogy of a relay race is suggested, where success is influenced by four factors: sequence, timing, baton-passing technique, and communication. These four factors are used as a framework for a longitudinal examination of a failed executive succession in a small, family-owned manufacturing firm. In-depth examination of the attempted succession showed that the four themes are helpful in working toward the development of a general theory of executive succession.