The level of management that consists of the president and other key company executives who develop strategic plans is top-level management (also called top management or executive management). These are the people responsible for:

  • Setting the organization’s long-term goals and strategic direction.
  • Defining the company’s mission and vision.
  • Making high-impact decisions that affect the entire organization.

In most textbooks and exam questions, “president + key executives who develop strategic plans” is the classic cue for top-level management.