Organizational change and leadership selection—the heads of German state audit offices

IMPACTThis article will help public managers, professionals and consultants to understand the reasons behind changes in the characteristics of top officials. The authors present a change index that establishes a link between existing reform trends and alterations in the socio-demographic characteristics of top officials recruited during a given period of time. It assumes that socio-demographic characteristics reflect diverging and changing expectations over time. Consequently, the appointment of senior executives can be viewed as a strategic response to external demands, aimed at gaining and maintaining legitimacy. In this article, the authors emphasize the interrelatedness of top-level staff and the organizational environment. Moreover, the study addresses the linkages between changes in the characteristics of top officials and changes in internal processes and organizational structures.