
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 15, 1994                   TAG: 9402150114
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: C8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: NEW YORK                                 LENGTH: Medium

YOUR BOSS'S IDOL MIGHT NOT BE LEE IACOCCA

For those who think American business leaders live and breathe the news of the financial world, that they spend their days pondering stock tables, earnings reports and the front page of the Wall Street Journal, a new (if somewhat unscientific) poll may be disquieting.

The results indicate the presidents and vice presidents of Fortune 1000 companies who responded to questionnaires are far more interested in sports and lifestyle articles than financial stories. They appear more likely to emulate the managerial acumen of Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson and entertainer Madonna than that of Donald Trump and Lee Iacocca.

Eric Yaverbaum, owner of the New York public relations firm Jericho Promotions, said he conducted the survey because he was annoyed by clients telling him to get their names into business stories, and he wanted to see if the people they wished to reach actually read such articles.

He acknowledged that he received only 311 responses to 3,100 questionnaires and that his sample - which includes very few women - cannot be considered a cross-section of America's business elite. But even with its limits, the survey disclosed enough playground hero worship to make business school deans wonder if they should be recruiting faculty in locker rooms rather than executive suites.

Forty-nine percent of respondents said they watched President Clinton's State of the Union address, a respectable number except when compared with the 78 percent who watched basketball star Michael Jordan's press conference announcing his retirement from the Chicago Bulls. Johnson, Madonna and New York Knicks coach Pat Riley were among the top five people the executives said inspired changes in their business decisions.

Another successful image maker and promoter, radio shock jock Howard Stern, was the favorite broadcast personality, followed by Larry King and Rush Limbaugh.

by CNB