Yesterday's movers and shakers vanish overnight, disappearing like vaporware in last week's headlines.
New players emerge just as quickly, wielding sudden clout.
To find out, the Mercury News asked the leaders themselves to name the 10 most influential people in San Jose and to explain how power works here. The results depict a city without a classic power structure. Because San Jose lacks a strong business establishment, knitted together by common clubs and corporate boards, politicians and the press fill the void. Many of the largest firms are branch operations, their hearts and headquarters elsewhere. Culled from list of hundreds These leaders were among the top 40 selected from an initial list of nearly 400, first by a group of key observers and then by the most influential people themselves.