Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders: What the Airline Industry Can Teach Us About Leadership

By: Anthony J. Mayo, Nitin Nohria and Mark Rennella

Format:Print

Abstract

'Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders' examines the role that business leaders play in shaping industries and how the evolving context of industries shapes leaders in turn. This co-evolutionary process of leadership and industry development is told through the story of the American airline industry across the 20th century. Entrepreneurs, who explored a variety of different airline concepts in search of a viable business model, dominate the industry's early history. As the industry evolved, a new breed of managers emerged who built a dominant business model that enables their companies to grow dramatically. Later, after the industry matured, leaders took center-stage as agents of change to rebuild and revitalize the industry. The lessons of entrepreneurs, managers, and leaders from the airlines can be applied to understanding any industry's evolution.

Keywords

Business Model; Entrepreneurship; Leadership Development; Managerial Roles; Supply and Industry; Industry Growth; Air Transportation Industry

Citation

Mayo, Anthony J., Nitin Nohria, and Mark Rennella. Entrepreneurs, Managers, and Leaders: What the Airline Industry Can Teach Us About Leadership. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.