Reconsidering Middle Managers’ Strategic Role in Modern Organizations

Abstract

Middle managers have a long legacy in strategy, organizational development, and management research. Uniquely positioned as ‘linking pins’ between strategic and operational interfaces, middle managers play a central role in organizational processes. However, the contemporary rise of new organizational forms and technology-centered business models has been paired with calls from business practice to rid organizations of their middle management cadres. The purpose of this symposium is to convene some of the leading thinkers and researchers in middle manager research to define a research agenda outlining the impactful and relevant problems facing middle managers in modern organizations. The symposium will particularly spearhead the conversation between interested members of the Strategic Management, Organizational Development & Change, and Organizational Behavior divisions on key themes, concepts, and perspectives in need of scrutiny to instill renewed appreciation for the evolving role of middle managers in modern and ever-changing organizations. The symposium will also serve as a gateway for those newly entering the field, highlighting key opportunities for impactful research in the field.