In the end, however, the executive concluded, "I know we are going to put ourselves behind it."

Over the last decade, many executives concluded that telecommunications and the Internet had made large-scale urban office buildings obsolete.

After some initial alarm, Italian executives tentatively concluded that only the fresh variety was threatened.

With the price of oil taking another step down this year, the companies' chief executives finally concluded they had done all they could on their own.

Moreover, the executives have concluded that children have more influence than ever on the spending habits of their parents.

Top executives concluded that the company had just been premature.

The way to beat Japanese and other competitors, the executives concluded, was with heavy investments in high technology that would raise quality and cut costs.

But many executives are reluctantly concluding that unless business picks up soon, they will have to take more drastic steps.

"You get a starting center who will be in the league for 10 years, then to me that's a good gamble," the executive concluded.

To survive the long drought at the lab, many executives have concluded that one company is better than two.