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The article profiles Bob Iger, chief executive officer of the Walt Disney Co., who has led the company to higher profits since taking over the post of Michael Eisner. Iger is given credit for resurrecting the ABC network television channel, repairing the company's relationship with moviemaker Pixar, and burgeoning attendance at theme parks, all of which made the stock rise 51% since he took over in 2006. INSET: How to Follow A Powerful Chief Executive.

Reports on the worst managers, according to a survey by "Business Week". Raymond Gilmartin of Merck; David Smith, Sinclair Broadcast Group; Franklin Raines, Fannie Mae; Michael Eisner, Walt Disney Co.; Gary Bettman, National Hockey League; Scott Livengood, Krispy Kreme; Howard Pien, Chiron;.

The article discusses the role of entrepreneur Ed Catmull in the success of Pixar's animated movies. The company's 59-year-old founder and president, Catmull, is a mild-mannered father of five who first dreamed of making computer-animated feature films more than 30 years ago. Catmull's entire adult life has been an odyssey to fulfill that dream, paying his dues in academia and winning the backing of the likes of George Lucas, Steve Jobs, and Michael Eisner, as he virtually willed the necessary technology into being for a new art form. Along the way he's also proved to be a shrewd entrepreneur who has designed one of the world's unique enterprises. Brad Bird and John Lasseter have they've turned Catmull's brainchild into the biggest hitmaker the film industry has seen since the Lion King days of Disney. It's had nothing but blockbusters in five tries. And judging from the crowd reaction at a charity screening at Pixar's headquarters in Emeryville,Calif., The Incredibles, the saga of a slightly dysfunctional family of superheroes, will be their sixth. Each new movie successively raised the aesthetic bar for what animated movies can be. This is a new kind of movie studio that not only invents its own technology, much like a whiz-bang Silicon Valley company, but also comes up with new production methods and organizational innovations that bring unheard-of discipline to the crazy business of making movies. A company like Pixar wasn't what Ed Catmull had in mind when he first hatched his plan to use computers to make animated films. But in hindsight, this company couldn't exist without a leader who cites Pinocchio, Peter Pan, and Einstein as the cultural heroes of his youth.

This article previews the 2004 Forbes, a list which ranks the 400 wealthiest Americans. The economy's recovery may be a little shaky, but you wouldn't know it from looking at this year's Forbes 400. The combined net worth of the nation's wealthiest climbed to $1 trillion, up $45 billion in 12 months. But while the creation of wealth marches on, the preservation of it is a chancy affair. Disney boss Michael Eisner is gone from the list, capping a bad year of shareholder revolts and lackluster releases.Also gone: long-time Forbes 400 member and buyout king Theodore Forstmann, who took large stakes in XO Communications and McLeodUSA before they went bust. Those left behind made room for 45 new names, 10 of them members of Chicago's Pritzker clan, whose intergenerational squabble resulted in the carving up of the family's $17 billion hotel and manufacturing fortune. But not all the new names are family money: Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page prove a good idea can still make a bundle; bond guru William Gross' steady hand on volatile markets created his $1 billion fortune; and Kenneth Hendricks shows a guy can still make a buck in the unsexy trade of building supplies. Those left behind made room for 45 new names, 10 of them members of Chicago's Pritzker clan, whose intergenerational squabble resulted in the carving up of the family's$ 17 billion hotel and manufacturing fortune. But not all the new names are family money: Google founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page prove a good idea can still make a bundle; bond guru William Gross' steady hand on volatile markets created his $1 billion fortune; and Kenneth Hendricks shows a guy can still make a buck in the unsexy trade of building supplies. High oil and gas prices also helped: T. Boone Pickens, a perennial suspect for two decades, finally makes an appearance on the list, but his $750 million pile is dwarfed by the $4.2 billion net worth of Houston pipeline maven Daniel Duncan.

Discusses the efforts of chief executive officer Michael Eisner to prevent a takeover of his company, Walt Disney Co. Efforts of Comcast to buyout Disney despite it's initial rejection; Plight of shareholder Roy E. Disney and others to rid of Eisner; How Eisner was responsible for expanding the animation unit at Disney, building stores, and further developing the theme parks; Possibility that Eisner and former U.S. Senator George Mitchell will be ousted from the board of directors; Focus on the issues of financial performance and corporate governance. INSET: Disney: A Viewer's Guide.

Discusses attempts by Comcast to acquire Disney. Recent efforts by Disney and President Michael Eisner to improve the financial conditions of Disney; Details of the hostile bid by the CEO of Comcast, Brian Roberts, to acquire Disney; Reasons for the actions by Comcast; Financial status of Comcast compared to that of Disney; Technological capabilities of Comcast. INSET: A Stomach-Churning Ride.

Reports on the potential consequences of large scale corporate mergers. Rivalry between Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and News Corp. owner Rupert Murdoch, whose company recently acquired Direct TV making him the world's most powerful broadcasting mogul; Bid by Roberts to acquire the Walt Disney Co., which would put him on par with Murdoch; Discussion on how much ownership is too much; Fragmentation of the media in contrast to consolidation; Failed negotiations with Disney CEO Michael Eisner; Potential strategy of Time Warner to increase its acquisitions; Potential role of Viacom in the building of these media empires; Role of the United States Federal Communications Commission in allowing further media consolidation; Consequences of a merger between Disney and Comcast. INSETS: And Then There Were Five?;Troubled Kingdom;Is Big Media A Good Thing?.

Discusses how the cable company Comcast offered an unsolicited bid to takeover the Walt Disney Co. Negotiations between Comcast CEO Brian Roberts and Disney CEO Michael Eisner about the proposed merger; Consideration of the poor financial performances at Disney's theme parks and animation business; Business strategies used by Roberts; Competition for Comcast from phone companies that will deliver video programming, phone services, and broadband Internet access through a single line; How Rupert Murdoch of News Corp. bought control of DirecTV satellite services.

Reports on the firing of Roy Disney, a board member of Walt Disney Co. How he found out about his termination; Animosity between Roy Disney and the company's CEO Michael Eisner; Roy Disney's career at Disney; Reaction of Roy Disney to his termination; Financial status of the company.

Covers the effects of a lawsuit by Disney shareholders that is shaking up board members across the country. Severance package given to departing Disney President, Michael Ovitz which enraged stockholders who went to court to demand their money back; Ruling from Delaware judge, William B. Chandler III, that he found failure by the directors to make a good-faith effort to do their job; Details of the complaint against the Disney board members; Media coverage of excessive corporate compensations which have fueled the protest; Possibility of replacement for Michael Eisner.

What is it about the Harvard Business School brand that causes dollars to rain down on students and teachers alike? Let's turn the tables and try a case study on the school itself, which is, after all, a business. The operation netted $8 million on sales of $294 million in the June 30 fiscal year. One thing that any analysis would be sure to include: some discussion of the Harvard B-school brand, which is immensely valuable and perhaps underexploited. In that regard this business looks a little bit like Disney did before Michael Eisner swooped in two decades ago. The intangible assets could be milked a little better. Harvard has not ignored the obvious brand extensions. The name goes on a lucrative collection of publications: the case studies, reprints of which are sold for $6.50 a copy to corporations ($3.70 to academics); books; and a monthly magazine that gets $118 a year from subscribers and $34,000 a page (before discounts) from four-color advertisers. Harvard Business School, at 95 years old, is the iconic business school. The school pioneered the case-study method for business schools and last year sold 6.7 million reprints. An admission ticket to Harvard is a hot commodity. Some 8,500 students applied last year. Just 12% got in; of those, 90% showed up on the first day of school, the highest yield of any business school.

Discusses management strategy to increase the value of the Walt Disney corporation stock. Role of Michael Eisner and Robert Iger in making over the company that is based in the motion picture industry; Details of the performance of several units including the animation department, the Disney stores, film studios, and the American Broadcasting Co. television network.

The article focuses on chief executive officer Michael Eisner's plans for the growth of media and entertainment firm Walt Disney Co. Topics discussed include problems concerning the weakening performance of Disney theme parks and resorts, criticism against Eisner for his management of the company, and Disney's annual stock prices as of 2000. Also mentioned are Eisner's plan to turn over responsibility for Disney to president and chief operating officer Robert Iger and fund raising strategies.

Offers a year in review of prominent chief executive officers (CEOs). Former Enron CEO Ken Lay; Former WorldCom Inc. CEO Bernie Ebbers; Martha Stewart; Disney Inc. CEO Michael Eisner. INSETS: She brings bad things to light;If you can't stand the heat;Bargain corner.

Profiles the board of directors at Walt Disney Co. Performance of Walt Disney under the leadership of chief executive officer and chairman Michael Eisner; Questions of power and accountability on the board; Push for change by institutional investors; Possibility that Eisner may have to relinquish his role as chairman; Outlook for the future of boards; Criticism for the directors that Eisner picked; Adoption of a requirement that two-thirds of the directors be independent and hold at least $100,000 in stock. INSET: Ties that bind?.

Profiles Michael Eisner, corporate executive officer for Walt Disney Co. Idea that he has come to personify his company; Way that his reputation has fallen along with the stock in the company; Question of whether Eisner can bring Disney through a crisis; Topic of the merger of ABC with Disney, and growth at the company.

If leadership is personal, then personal experience must hold some of the most valuable lessons in leadership. With that in mind, HBR's editors canvassed leaders in business, academia, and the arts, asking them to tell us about the experiences that taught them the most about leadership at its best--and worst. Each of the 17 responses was unique, of course, but some common threads emerged. Many of those we asked credited one or both parents with teaching them principles of good leadership. Several cited their own lapses as examples of bad leadership. Some leaders were transformed by experiences in the military or on the playing fields of school. Others found defining moments in the social movements of the 1960s. Disney CEO Michael Eisner credits his high school headmaster--a man he didn't even like--with teaching him the importance of striving for excellence and the dangers of insisting on perfection. From his experiences as a young officer aboard a World War II destroyer, former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee learned the value of hiring people smarter than he is. Both Xerox CEO Anne Mulcahy and Francis Collins, the director of the NIH's National Human Genome Research Institute, credit their parents with teaching them the importance of building consensus. But Semco owner Ricardo Semler says consensus is just a beginning: He draws on Lewis Carroll to suggest that sustained value is created only when managers give up control altogether and let their employees take the lead. Ultimately, what all these stories demonstrate is that the act of leadership is just that--action. It's about showing, not telling, and setting the right example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents various reactions to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Bill Joy, chief scientist of Sun Microsystems; Michael Eisner, chief executive officer (CEO) of Walt Disney; Madeleine Albright, a former United States Secretary of State; Jerry Levin, chief executive officer of AOL Time Warner; Others.

Presents a speech by Michael Eisner, head of the Walt Disney Corp., delivered to the Tri-State Camping Conference in New York City on March 8, 2001. His love of camp as a child; Adventures that he had; Why he advocates general all-purpose camps as opposed to specialty camps; Importance of exposing children to possibilities and opportunities.

Presents a speech by Michael Eisner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Walt Disney Company, given to the Variety/Schroeders Big Picture Conference in New York, New York, dealing with the implementation of a legislative, economic and technological environment to foster creativity.

The article reports on the scrutiny of the merger of America Online (AOL) and Time Warner. Disney has requested the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make sure that both companies do not favor their own content. Time Warner chief executive officer (CEO) Gerald Levin and AOL CEO Steve Case must make true their promise to Congress and the FCC to offer content diversity. Disney CEO Michael Eisner's concerns about the potential abuse of the merger are explained.

Once upon a time, the Walt Disney Company was famous for a quaint little mouse, a collection of vintage animated films for children, and two enjoyable--but aging--theme parks. It was, in other words, a great American company in eclipse. Today, Disney may be going through some tough times, but it's tough times for a vast $23 billion empire. Along with animation blockbusters like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast, Disney now owns three motion picture studios, as well as the ABC and ESPN television networks. The company is now poised to build new theme parks in Japan and China to go along with its EuroDisney attractions. Two Disney cruise ships sail the Bahamas. A Disney symphony to mark the millennium opened at the New York Philharmonic last fall. And an integrated network of Web sites-Disney.com, ABC.com, ABCNews.com, Go.com, and Family.com-stretches out over the Internet. The driving force behind all that growth was undoubtedly Michael Eisner, who became chairman and CEO in 1984. In this interview with senior editor Suzy Wetlaufer, Eisner vividly and colorfully describes the challenges he confronted as he built Disney. In a series of revealing anecdotes, he illustrates the workings of a culture that fosters creativity--an environment fraught with both carefully institutionalized conflict and good old-fashioned common sense. Eisner describes in detail the four pillars of his particular brand of leadership, which he maintains are the same in good times and bad: being an example; being there; being a nudge; and being, as he puts it,"an idea generator-all the time, all day, all night." INSETS: Making Sure One Hand Washes the Other;We'll Be Right Back. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on Walt Disney Company and Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner. Eisner's response to problems facing the company as of summer 1999; Stock price; Contribution of company size and culture to problems; Details of Eisner's cost-reduction strategy; Reorganization plans; Priorities; Profitability; Company history; Criticism of Eisner's approach; Opportunities and outlook. INSET: No Hard Feelings for Katzenberg.

Presents an excerpt from Michael Eisner's memoir, `Work in Progress,' with Tony Schwartz. His experience of heart surgery; Participation in Herb Allen's executive retreat and presentation of the story of Walt Disney Co.'s rejuvenation; Acquisition of Capital Cities; The hiring of Michael Ovitz; The future of entertainment. INSET: Eisner's resume: A rapid rise.

Examines the turmoil in the Walt Disney Co. after the breakup of a happy partnership that ruled the company for the last decade. Death of Disney president Frank Wells in 1994; Walt Disney Studios head Jeffrey Katzenberg's resignation after chairman Michael Eisner denied him Well's position; Eisner's health problems; Speculation on how the company will meet its challenges. INSET: From slumber... to high-wire act (Disney stock value); The....

Discusses Walt Disney Co.'s takeover of Capital Cities/ABC, the second-largest corporate merger in United States history. How the merger caps both a troubling year and an astounding decade for Disney; Ability of chief Michael Eisner to revive Disney; Immense cultural impact of the company in America and abroad; Disney's growing mark on the sports world. INSET: From heart surgery to the toast of..., by Betsy Streisand.

Profiles media magnate Rupert Murdoch. The history of his media empire; Lessons he has learned; News Corp. as one of the worlds great media empires; Rivals Michael Eisner of Disney and Time Warner's Gerald Levin; Preparations to sell a substantial piece of News Corp.; Murdoch's penchant for risk which nearly drove the company into bankruptcy in 1991; His pursuit of vertical integration; Global reach of News Corp. INSETS: Anatomy of a Fox;All About News Corp.;News Corp.'s Australian Accounting Advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outlines Walt Disney Co.'s plan to turn New York's crime-ridden 42nd street into an entertainment mecca. Details of Disney chairman Michael Eisner's plans for the restoration of Times Square; 42nd street's vaudeville past.

Profiles the leaders of the four media conglomerates that have emerged as dominant. CEO Michael Eisner of Walt Disney; Sumner Redstone of Viacom; CEO Rupert Murdoch of Australia's News Corp.; CEO Gerald Levin of Time Warner; Sculpture caricature of each executive.

The article presents a discussion on the life of Michel Eisner, CEO of Walt Disney Co., during and after his heart surgery. Last July, alter Michael Eisner's angiogram confirmed that he would have to undergo an emergency quadruple bypass operation, doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, gave him a few minutes before surgery to be alone with his wife of 27 years, Jane, and their three sons. His thoughts turned to his job. He made a list of candidates to replace him. The very notion of Eisner drawing up a secret succession document while the surgeon's scalpel was poised over his chest is in itself high concept. INSET: The mother of all divorces (Jeffrey Katzenberg).

Profiles Michael Eisner, Disney chairman, and explains The Walt Disney Company's $19 billion deal to buy Capital Cities/ABC. Eisner's personal difficulties in 1994; Questions about the future success of this media megamerger; Role of Warren Buffett; Why the financial timing was right; The departure of Jeffrey Katzenberg from Walt Disney Company and his imminent confrontation and loathing of Eisner.

Focuses on Walt Disney Co. Chairman Michael Eisner's revival of his personal stature with the company's takeover of Capital Cities/ABC Inc. Shifting of balance of power in the entertainment business; Advantages of owning ABC; Post-takeover problems. INSETS: Entertainment's new landscape.;The moguls of media..

Reports on the highest-paid chief executive officers in American public corporations. Record-setting income of Walt Disney Co. chairman Michael D. Eisner; Debate over executive compensation; Linking of chief executive officers' (CEO) income to corporate performance; Highest-earning executives for 1993 according to `Businessweek' magazine; Average salary of CEOs; Big earners among non-CEOs; Winner-take-all phenomenon.

This article focuses on the resignation of Michael Eisner, chief executive of Walt Disney Co.. Nudged to retire before he was ready to leave, Eisner, 63, recently landed in Hong Kong for one of his last official acts. He had his key supporters at his side--his wife of 38 years, one of his three sons, his sister and his best friend from childhood--all there as he capped off 21 years as Disney's chief executive. Two weeks before his resignation became official on Oct. 1, he cut the ribbon and unveiled the company's 11th theme park, Hong Kong Disneyland, opening a gateway to China and vast growth in the years ahead. The past six years have been tumultuous and difficult with Disney's stock dropping 3.7% per year compared with an annual drop of 1.5% for the Dow Index. He leaves at least a year earlier than planned, after weathering criticism from the late founder's nephew and being pressured out of the chairman's title by his own handpicked board. As he plots his next move, he looks at what his pal Barry Diller has built at InterActive Corp. and at what Terry Semel is doing at Yahoo and mulls a new entertainment venture. He starts with $750 million in personal net worth. In 1984 he arrived at Disney, a fabled but faltering company that was sleeping beautifully, 18 years after the death of its founder. He had been recruited by Roy Disney--the same man who just spent two years trying to fire him. But Eisner also earned a rep for hubris. In his last days at Disney Eisner told insiders he wanted no tributes, no dinner parties, no celebrations on Main Street. What he wants most is the divine retribution that will come if his next venture is half as successful as this one has been.

Profiles Bob Iger, named successor to Michael Eisner as CEO of the Walt Disney Company. View that Iger must make significant changes to corporate culture for Disney to succeed; Details of Iger's career history at Disney and the American Broadcasting Company (ABC); Support of stockholders and board members for the departure of Eisner; Challenges facing Eisner in the management of ABC; Assessment of Iger's capabilities as a leader in the entertainment industry.

Profiles Bob Iger, president of the Walt Disney Company. Impact of the book "DisneyWar," by James Stewart, on public opinion of Iger; Report that Iger has been the subject of criticism during his career; Potential for Iger to succeed CEO Michael Eisner upon his retirement; Impact of Iger on Disney's profitability.

Presents an interview with Walt Disney Co. CEO Michael Eisner. Pressure faced by Eisner from efforts to oust him and attempts at a hostile takeover; Reasons for his decision to step down in 2006; Assumption that he will not remain on the board after he steps down; Recommendation that the board hire Bob Iger to replace him; Urgency to select a successor; Potential that he will step down before 2006; Enjoyment of his situation; Possibility that Pixar will remain with Disney.

Discusses how the board of directors at the Walt Disney Co. supports CEO Michael Eisner despite the criticism he has received from shareholders and the press. Election of former Senator George Mitchell as the man to succeed Eisner as chairman; Hope that the projected increase in operating income will further the company's turnaround; Consideration of leaders such as Peter Chernin, Bob Iger, and Steve Jobs as potential candidates to succeed Eisner as chief executive; Role of Mitchell as a defendant in the shareholder suit against Disney over its $140 million payout to Michael Ovitz.

Discusses why investors are furious with Michael Eisner, chief executive of Walt Disney. Revolt against Eisner, led by former board member Roy Disney, nephew of Walt Disney; Move by the directors to take away the chairman's title from Eisner; Background on the company; Comments of Eisner; Management approach; Career background; Outlook for Eisner's tenure as chief executive.

Offers a look at the management of the Walt Disney Company. Resignation of Roy Disney as a director of the corporation; Criticism of Disney Chairman Michael Eisner; Vulnerability of the company to a takeover by Comcast Corporation; Involvement of Roy Disney in Australia-based Ansell Limited, a maker of condoms; Reference to an article on Eisner found in the "Southern California Senior Life" periodical, which is owned by Roy Disney; Performance of some of the media holdings in Roy Disney's investment fund, Shamrock Holdings; Management of Roy Disney's investments by Stanley Gold.

Reports on the ousting of Michael D. Eisner from his position as chairman of the Walt Disney Co.. Loss of shareholder confidence in Michael D. Eisner; Plans for the transfer of power from Eisner to his replacement as CEO; Speculation of Eisner's replacements CEO; Further reforms within Disney Co.'s board of directors; Consideration of the offer by Comcast Corp. to purchase Disney Co.. INSET: What Investors Are Looking For..

Assesses the attitude of Walt Disney Co. stockholders and whether Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael Eisner will gain their support at Disney's annual stockholders' meeting. Percentage of shareholders that are threatening to withhold their support for Eisner when the annual meeting takes place in Philadelphia (Pa.) in March 2004; Reasons why shareholders are angry with Eisner; Comments from Steven Norwitz of T. Rowe Price regarding the pressure being felt by Disney's board of directors; Speculation about corporate governance changes at Disney; Institutional shareholders, including the California Public Employees' Retirement System, that are coming out against Eisner.

Looks at Steve Jobs and his fight with the Walt Disney Company over the arrangement with his Pixar Studio. Belief that Jobs has more clout now than at anytime since he first started Apple Computer; Entertainment going digital has turned him into force to be reckoned with due to his success with iTunes and iPod; Rumors that he is after Michael Eisner's job which he denies; How Sony Entertainment is lagging behind and perhaps interested in a relationship with Pixar; Conjecture that Sony may be eyeing Apple and Pixar to boost its stature in the entertainment world; Likelihood that Jobs will continue to operate his two companies the way he likes with independence and creativity.

Presents a speech by Michael Eisner, chairman and chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. Delivery of the speech as the commencement address at the University of Southern California in May 2000; Views on the reliance on technological innovations at the beginning of the 21st Century, particularly electronic mail (e-mail); Development of an e-mail subculture; Examples of problems associated with e-mail; Outlook for the future.

Presents a speech by Michael D. Eisner, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Co., delivered at the ABC Network Conference in Santa Barbara, California on June 6, 1987. Views on how businesses and business leaders are portrayed by U.S. television; Role of television in exaggerating the commonly held perceptions of reality; Impact of television on the minds of the youth.

Reports that, Michael Ovitz who was named president of the Walt Disney Company, is no longer the most powerful man in Hollywood. His being second to Walt Disney's Michael Eisner; Ovitz's rise to power; The Creative Artists Agency (CAA); Seagram's offer to Ovitz to run MCA; Ovitz's desire for a career change; Friendship with Eisner; Disney's offer to Ovitz of modest inducement benefits. INSET: You want a job? (openings in the entertainment industry).

What's strange now is how little this argument-a fairly obvious one, easy to understand-has caught on. Railing against trusts used to be a commonplace thing, with all sorts of muckraking journalism appearing in national magazines exposing the evil machinations of the beef trust or the sugar trust or the railroad barons or the Standard Oil Co. You'd think this would be an attractive topic, a subject that any journalist would like to sink his teeth into: David Geffen's war on young people, say, Michael Eisner's wooing of some state legislature somewhere.