In the preliminary stages for executive level recruitment, gathering the names is a starter. As per my experience, discussions and readings etc - is it such a standard process of identifying target companies and then use different channels like cold calling, networking, referrals to find the candidates?

Does it differ from company to company? What sub-sections of this process defines the successful ones from others? Also, what's the strategy placed behind the name generation exercise? What sets apart good searches than that of ordinary ones?

I have recently started learning more about executive search side of the recruitment (previously being more in contingency). I know it's very open ended question - but any suggestions / comments welcome....