What is the secret of WL Gore's success? The high-tech materials company, creator of Gore-Tex fabric, sophisticated surgical products, cables and more besides, is committed to manufacturing leading-edge products through advanced engineering.

You would think it is a pretty tight ship. But no. "It's a very chaotic environment," declares Terri Kelly, the company's chief executive officer, with obvious pride. And there's more. "For some reason, management just never took hold in our company . . . we don't like the 'manager' word . . . we get very angry when people call [the staff] employees . . . "