ty exerted by the leader. The styles of leadership identified under this approach are autocratic, participative, and free-rein, as indicated by DuBrin, Ireland, and Williams. The autocratic leader maintains the most authority by issuing orders without consulting group members. The basis for leadership is formal authority. Such a leader may have a few favored subordinates, but in general the autocratic leader regards close interpersonal relationships with group members as superfluous. In some situations, the autocratic style is appropriate, but one argument against this style is that executives using it are not completely effective because they create so much turmoil for their subordinates (DuBrin, Ireland, and Wilson, 1988, 331).
General Electric started in 1878 as Edison Electric Light and became one of the leading and most diversified manufacturing operations in the world. By 1985, the company operated plants and laboratories in over 200 locations in 34 states and Puerto Rico and had another 135 manufacturing plants in 25 other countries. During that time, both manufacturing and the training used by GE have changed. Manufacturing was traditionally seen as a dirty job that did not require intelligence or managers as adept as those involved in engineering. Manufacturing took a stronger role in the company after World War II, elevating it to a higher status and leading to the creation of professional manufacturing training programs. The Apprentice Training program was started in the 1900s as a four-year program for high school graduates. In 1952, it was recognized that there was a need for more highly qualified manufacturing personnel, leading to the Managem
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