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 1 May and 30 June in odd-numbered years.

Thinkers50 Ranking 2003

#1 Peter Drucker

#2Michael Porter

#3Tom Peters

#4Gary Hamel

#5 Charles Handy

#6Philip Kotler

#7Henry Mintzberg

#8Jack Welch

#9 Rosabeth Moss Kanter

#10 Jim Collins

#11 Sumantra Ghoshal

#12 CK Prahalad

#13 Warren Bennis

#14 Peter Senge

#15 Robert Kaplan & David Norton

#16 Stephen Covey

#17 Edgar H Schein

#18 Chris Argyris

#19 Kenichi Ohmae

#20 Bill Gates

#21Kjell Nordström & Jonas Ridderstråle

#22Clayton Christensen

#23John Kotter

#24Nicholas Negroponte

#25Jim Champy

#26Andy Grove

#27Scott Adams

#28Richard Pascale

#29Daniel Goleman

#30Naomi Klein

#31W. Chan Kim & Renée Mauborgne

#32Don Tapscott

#33Michael Dell

#34Richard Branson

#35Edward de Bono

#36Ricardo Semler

#37Thomas A. Stewart

#38Geoffrey Moore

#39Jeff Bezos

#40Paul Krugman

#41Lynda Gratton

#42Alan Greenspan

#43Manfred Kets De Vries

#44Robert Waterman

#45Watts Wacker

#46Patrick Dixon

#47Geert Hofstede

#48Don Peppers

#49Stan Davis

#50Fons Trompenaars

Thinkers50 Ranking 2003

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