Sir Alex Ferguson has a clear claim to being the best boss in football - but the mercurial Scot is also a favourite among business managers.

Ferguson's style of management is best for business, according to 57 per cent of executives.

A third of business workers felt their own boss' style was similar to that of the Manchester United manager.

But one in five workers felt their boss displayed the characteristics of the cartoon character Homer Simpson, according to the survey commissioned by Energis.

The "Sir Alex approach", characterised by the ability to be critical while inspiring absolute team commitment, was the most popular selection of leading executives from a choice of famous figures.

The guru-like style and remoteness associated with Star Wars character Obi-Wan Kenobi had 11 per cent support, while the relaxed "buddy" style of Homer Simpson (four per cent) was only marginally more popular than the control freakery of EastEnders entrepreneur Ian Beale - who received just two per cent backing.

Energis managing director John Beaumont said: "The fact that nearly one in five people believe their manager is most like Homer Simpson, when only four per cent believe that approach brings success, should make all managers think about the approaches they adopt to get the results they want."