(Downsizing) “Most experienced CEOs have seen command-and-control man¬ agement come and go. They’ve been through downsizing and rightsizing. Now they’re seeing most companies (their own included) working to recast them¬ selves as 'high-performing’ organizations, with streamlined, non-hierarchical, fast moving teams of ‘knowledge workers ’ trying to generate the greatest possi¬ ble return on ‘human capital. ’ The New Economy has put that capital in high demand and short supply, particularly in IT and other high-tech fields. As a result, CEOs and their top executivesfind themselves facing a broad spectrum of new challenges: competingfor top talent, designing jobs consistent with business goals, communicating strategy, sharing information, earning em¬ ployees' trust and commitment, measuring and improving employee perfor¬ mance, moving them up and leading them onward. ”

Source: Hannele Rubin, "How CEOs Get Results,” Chief Executive (February 2001), p. 8ff.

What can the accounting function in an organization do to help identify potential top management talent from internal operations?

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