ranking

For over 20 years, Thinkers50 has been identifying, ranking, and sharing the very best in management thinking.

ABOUT THE RANKING

About the Thinkers50 Ranking

Published every two years, the Thinkers50 Ranking is the definitive list of the most influential management thinkers in the world and answers one simple question: who is the world’s most influential living management thinker?

Nominations for the Thinkers50 Ranking are open from May to July in the years that the ranking takes place (odd-numbered years). The public is invited to participate in the online nomination process by submitting the names and qualifications of thinkers they wish to put forward for consideration. Nominations are accepted and encouraged from individuals and organisations across the globe.

All nominations for the Thinkers50 Ranking are considered by the Thinkers50 Panel of Advisors. Each new ranking is announced at the Thinkers50 Awards Gala held in November every other year, culminating in a countdown of the top 10.

The Thinkers50 Ranking uses a proprietary methodology for evaluating management thinking. Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove lead the process, with input and review from the Thinkers50 advisors. The criteria are evaluated on a weighted basis taking account of the thinker’s performance over the long term, as well as over the two years since the previous ranking.

SELECTION PROCESS

Thinkers50 Ranking: The Selection Process

The methodology is organised by two broad concepts: Viability – the quality and relevance of ideas; and Visibility – the influence and impact of ideas in the world. These concepts are quantified using 10 criteria.

VIABILITY (THE 4RS):

  • Relevance (applicability to current issues and management practice)
  • Rigour (quality of research and theory)
  • Reach (international reach and reach across sectors)
  • Resilience (the durability of ideas in a rapidly changing global economy).

VISIBILITY (IMPACT):

  • Influence (a measure of citations and references)
  • Media coverage and profile (traditional and social media)
  • Presence (public speaking profile and popularity)
  • Communication skills (image, accessibility, and dissemination)
  • Affiliations (associated networks and institutions)
  • Tools and techniques (practical applications).

Nominations are accepted between 15 May and 31 July in odd-numbered years.

Thinkers50 Ranking 2007

#1 CK Prahalad

#2Bill Gates

#3Alan Greenspan

#4Michael Porter

#5 Gary Hamel

#6W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

#7Tom Peters

#8Jack Welch

#9Richard Branson

#10 Jim Collins

#11 Philip Kotler

#12 Robert Kaplan & David Norton

#13 Kjell Nordström & Jonas Ridderstråle

#14 Charles Handy

#15 Stephen Covey

#16 Henry Mintzberg

#17 Thomas A. Stewart

#18 Malcolm Gladwell

#19 Lynda Gratton

#20 Donald Trump

#21Scott Adams

#22Ram Charan

#23Vijay Govindarajan

#24Warren Bennis

#25Clayton Christensen

#26Thomas Friedman

#27Kenichi Ohmae

#28Rosabeth Moss Kanter

#29Steve Jobs

#30John Kotter

#31Jeff Immelt

#32Rob Goffee & Gareth Jones

#33Adrian Slywotzky

#34Marshall Goldsmith

#35Bill George

#36Larry Bossidy

#37Daniel Goleman

#38Marcus Buckingham

#39Howard Gardner

#40Edward de Bono

#41Al Gore

#42David Ulrich

#43Seth Godin

#44Costas Markides

#45Rakesh Khurana

#46Richard D’Aveni

#47Peter Senge

#48Chris Argyris

#49Jeffrey Pfeffer

#50Chris Zook

Thinkers50 Ranking 2007

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