Middle-level Managers Research Articles

Examining the Relative Importance and Association between Safety Leadership Styles and Factors Affecting Organizational Safety Climate

This study identifies safety leadership factors affecting construction site safety and organizational safety climate, offering suggestions for adopting optimistic leadership styles and a zero-accident vision. The literature review is done exclusively for identifying factors and improving core knowledge. This study developed a questionnaire to examine the relationships between the organizational safety climate and the safety leadership styles. The questionnaire was distributed to construction companies from all over India. The statistical analysis encompassed 396 verified responses from the survey, yielding an impressive 79.20 percent response rate. The valid responses collected were analysed to find the relative importance index and the association between the categorical variables. The results showed that “personal safety knowledge” ranked the highest while performing the relative importance index analysis. Furthermore, the chi-square analysis found two pessimistic leadership styles, namely “laissez-faire leadership” and “management-by-exception”, significantly associated with the safety climate. The study implies that the target audience must avoid adopting the two pessimistic leadership styles to improve the organizational safety climate. This study examines the various safety leadership styles practised among construction professionals for the first time in India. Specifically, it identifies critical factors that affect the organizational safety climate and pessimistic leadership styles that diminish the safety outcomes of the construction site. The results act as an eye-opener for the targeted audience (like senior and middle-level management professionals, academicians, and upcoming researchers) to enhance the safety of construction sites by adopting optimistic leadership styles with an idea of a ‘zero accident’ construction premises.

The structural link between TQM practices and financial performance: the mediating role of operational performance

PurposeThis study aims at examining the effect of total quality management (TQM) practices on the financial performance ISO 9001:2008 certified manufacturing companies in Ethiopia with a mediating role of operational performance.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional survey research was conducted to meet the purpose. Data used for the study were solely primary data and were collected from the top and middle-level managers of different departments and senior experts working under the production/operation and quality management units of the target organizations. Data were obtained from 302 participants working in 73 companies using a self-administered questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was applied to test the hypotheses positing the structural link between TQM practices, operational performance and financial performance.FindingsThe findings show that TQM practices had a significant direct and positive effect on both operational performance and financial performance and that operational performance significantly affects financial performance. The bootstrapping output of the mediation analysis also established that operational performance partially mediates the causal link between TQM practices and financial performance.Research limitations/implicationsThe empirical evidence provided by the present study provides helpful insights and guidance to managers to make a good deal of investment in maintaining enhanced performance outcomes under the operations stream that eventually would lead to better financial outcome.Originality/valueBeing one of the first attempts to empirically examine the structural linkages among TQM practices, operational performance and financial performance in Ethiopian manufacturing organizations, this paper provides strategic insights on the importance of implementing TQM practices in a holistic manner for the achievement of better performance outcomes.

UPSHOT OF CONFLICT MANAGEMENT(CM) APPROACH ON EMPLOYEE PRODUCTIVITY IN NIGERIA TERTIARY INSTITUTION (A STUDY OF DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY, ABRAKA AND DELTA STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, OZORO)

Conflict circumstance touches the inclusive effectiveness of co-operating organization; asa result of truncating the work development and lowers employee passions. Organizations use available conflict management approaches to build an effective mechanism for conflict management. The study examine the effect of conflict management approaches on employee productivity in the Nigeria Tertiary Institutions. Eighty (80) appropriate designed questionnaire data were obtained from two institution in Delta State, using SPSS analytical tools for analyzing the data. The descriptive statistics and correlation matrix was used to ascertain the kind of relationship that exists between the independent and dependent variables. The testing of hypotheses formulated for the study was conducted using multiple regression analysis with the aid of SPSS correlation. Findings revealed that Collaborating Approach (COA);Accommodation Approach (AA); and Avoiding Approach (AVA) have significant relationship with employee productivity while Compromising Approach (CA) has no impact on employee productivity. The study, therefore, recommends the need for Nigeria Tertiary Institutions top management level staff to organize seminars/workshops for middle and low level management staff on organizational conflict management approach; likewise employees should be enlightened on how to manage their superiors and subordinates in order to enhance organization harmony and management and employees must have the doggedness to work together amicably by formulating potent approach and sustaining acceptable policies as active mechanism for managing conflict on continuous basis.
 Keywords: Conflict, Management, Conflict Resolution Employee-productivity, Higher Tertiary-Institution.

Self-Perceived performance-based training needs among middle-level nursing managers in Jordan

ABSTRACT Background Nurse managers need to possess specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes to fulfil their roles and responsibilities and exemplify that they are competent to do their jobs. However, there is a paucity of data on the performance-based training needs of middle-level nurse managers in Jordan. Aim To identify the performance-based training needs of middle-level nursing managers working in Jordanian governmental hospitals and to evaluate the differences in perceived performance-based training needs based on their socio-demographic and professional characteristics. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized. The study recruited 132 nurses from three governmental hospitals in Jordan using convenience sampling. An online survey included the Hennessy-Hicks Training Needs Questionnaire was used for data collection. Ethical approvals were obtained to conduct the study. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 28. Results ‘Designing a research study’ item had the highest perceived need for training (M = 2.5, SD ± 2.5), while ‘establishing a relationship with patients’ item had the lowest (M = 0.4, SD ± 1.2). Nurses with more experience (F = 2.9, df = 131, P < 0.05), and nurses who worked in specialized units (F = 2.3, df = 131, P < 0.05) had significantly lower training needs than nurses with lesser years of experience, and nurses who worked in outpatient departments. In addition, age, gender, prior training in nursing management, and years of experience as middle-level nurse managers significantly predicted the levels of training needed (R2 = 0.23, P < 0.001). Conclusion The findings reflected the need for training on several managerial competencies. Future research can help identify other personal and organizational factors affecting performance-based training needs.

Does Perceived Management Style Affect Decision-Making Self-Esteem? A Study on Sports Managers

This research is carried out to examine the relationship between perceived managerial management styles and decision-making self-esteem (self-respect). The research is accomplished with the participation of 161 managers, 138 (85.7%) male and 23 (14.3%) female working in public and private sports institutions in Sakarya. The data are obtained by face-to-face survey technique from people determined by convenient sampling method. Descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling are used in the analysis of the data. According to the results of the research, a positive and significant relationship is found between the decision-making self-esteem of the participants and the autocratic and liberal management styles of their managers. A significant negative correlation is found between the decision-making self-esteem (DSE) and the democratic management (DM) approach of administrators. According to the managerial level, it is determined that while DM negatively affects the DSE in lower and middle level managers, this effect is insignificant. On the other hand, while the effect of autocratic management (AM) on DSE is positive and statistically significant in lower level managers, are negative and statistically insignificant middle level managers. Finally, while the effect of laissez-faire leadership (FLM) on DSE in lower level managers is not found to be positive and statistically significant, it is found to be positive and statistically significant in middle level managers.

Linking Performance Measures and Feedback: Self-Regulation for Creativity

ABSTRACT This study examines the proactive feedback effect of non-financial performance measures (NFPMs) and the passive feedback effect of financial performance measures (FPMs) on feedback-seeking behavior, perceived feedback quality, and individual creativity. Using a sample of survey data collected from middle-level managers in Australia, this study finds that managers passively receive performance information and perceive high-quality feedback when their performance is evaluated based on FPMs and that they proactively seek feedback when their performance is evaluated based on NFPMs. The results of the study also show that neither NFPMs nor FPMs are directly associated with individual creativity. However, the study finds that (1) the positive association between NFPMs and individual creativity is fully mediated by feedback-seeking behavior and perceived feedback quality together, and (2) the positive association between FPMs and individual creativity is fully mediated by perceived feedback quality alone. Further, the results indicate that feedback-seeking is not only a catalyst for perceived feedback quality but also a self-regulation strategy that facilitates individual creativity. In sum, the study offers initial empirical evidence of the passive feedback effect of FPMs and the proactive feedback effect of NFPMs on feedback and individual creativity.

The Relationship Between Knowledge Management and Organizational Resilience in terms of Organizational Structure

This study has started with the foresight that in today's world where economies are intertwined like a spiral on the international level, organic organization structures can lead organizations to become more resilient by providing more effective knowledge management. Although the effect of knowledge management on organizational resilience has been discussed in the international literature, what makes this study different from previous studies is the inclusion of organizational structure in the research. In this context, the main question of the research is whether different organizational structures have an effect on knowledge management and organizational resilience. Turkey's top 500 and second 500 industrial companies, prepared by the Istanbul Chamber of Industry, constitute the population of the research. The survey method was conducted with 246 middle or top level managers of the relevant companies. Results suggest that (i) organic organizational structures positively affect knowledge management processes (ii) knowledge management and organic organizational structures positively affect organizational resilience (iii) knowledge management partially mediates the association between organic organizational structures and organizational resilience. This paper offers new empirical evidence which bolsters the notion that organic organizational structures and knowledge management are important for optimizing organizational resilience. Moreover, the interference between organizational structure, knowledge management, and resilience has been founded which may be a base for a new theory about the survival of businesses.

Impact of Leadership Styles on Employees’ Performance: An Empirical Investigation of Middle-Level Employees

Leadership styles play a significant role in shaping the behaviour, motivation, and productivity of employees, particularly at the middle management level. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate employees, encouraging them to exceed expectations and achieve higher levels of performance. Transactional leaders focus on setting clear goals, providing rewards and punishments based on performance, and maintaining the status quo. Laissez-faire leaders adopt a hands-off approach, giving employees a high level of autonomy and decision-making power. The choice of leadership style can significantly impact middle-level employees' performance indicators, including productivity, job satisfaction, and motivation. This study presents essential inputs for organizations to effectively manage and optimize the potential of their middle-level employees, ultimately contributing to overall organizational success.

The mediating role of levers of controls on the association between sustainable leadership and organisational resilience

This study examines the mediating role of Simons’ (Levers of control: How managers use innovative control systems to drive strategic renewal, Harvard Business School Press, 1995) levers of control (belief systems, boundary controls, interactive use of controls, diagnostic use of controls) on the association between sustainable leadership and organisational resilience. Data was collected using a mail survey of 410 Australian middle level managers. The results reveal that three of the levers of control (belief systems, interactive use of controls, and diagnostic use of controls) mediate the influence of sustainable leadership on organisational resilience, with sustainable leadership exhibiting both a direct and indirect (through the levers) influence on organisational resilience. The findings contribute to the organisational resilience literature by providing an insight into the crucial role of the levers of control in facilitating the effectiveness of the sustainable leadership approach i.e. through enhancing organisational resilience. Accordingly, managers are advised to enhance organisational resilience through employing a sustainable leadership approach and employing belief systems and the interactive and diagnostic use of controls.

The Influence of Management Accounting Systems, Decentralization, Budgets and Environmental Uncertainty on Manager Performance In the Pharmaceutical Industry in Surabaya

The research conducted by the author is a replication study of research conducted by Purba in 1998 with the same title, namely the influence of management accounting systems, decentralization, budgets and environmental uncertainty on manager performance, but with different objects. The research carried out by Purba took as an object an insurance company in the Surabaya municipal area, while the research that the author put forward in this thesis took as an object the pharmaceutical industry in Surabaya. The author wants to know how much difference there is when using different research objects. Several managers are needed by a relatively large organization or company to carry out some of the tasks of top managers. This is necessary because top managers cannot possibly carry out management and supervision of all company activities as a whole. Therefore, there will be a delegation of authority from top managers to middle level managers or lower level managers.

Lean Practices, Perceived Environmental Uncertainty, and Business Performance: a Quantitative Study of Smes in Thailand

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the moderating role of environmental uncertainty (EU) on the relationship between lean practices (LP) and business performance (BP) in SMEs in Thailand. Design/methodology/approach: The 170 samples of middle management level persons who were aware of lean concepts or practices from 120 manufacturing companies of SMEs in Thailand. We analyzed the relationship between lean practices and business performance by multiple linear regression analysis (MLR). Findings: The results revealed that performance uncertainty and process uncertainty have a significant impact on lean practices with a direct and negative effect. For the key performance result, the results revealed that only Statistical Process Control (SPC) and employee involvement (EI) of lean practices have a significant impact on the key performance result with a direct and positive significantly impactful, the results revealed that only Just in Time or JIT and Statistical Process Control (SPC) have a significant impact on the customer result control direct and positive effect. For the employee result, the results revealed that four dimensions of Lean Practices including supplier development or SD, Setup Time Reduction (STR), employee involvement, and Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) have a significant impact on the employee result with direct and positive effect. Research, Practical &amp; Social Implications: This study provides lean practices in SMEs in Thailand and their moderating role on environmental uncertainty on the relationship between lean practices and business performance which in contributes to economic Thailand. Further research should focus on specific industries. Originality/value: Research moderating role of environmental uncertainty (EU) on the relationship between lean practices (LP) and business performance (BP) in SMEs in Thailand are especially important in SMEs.

Risk assessment in the formation of motivational programs aimed at retaining the heads of organizations

The relevance of the study is determined by the increasing role of risks in the formation of motivation programs aimed at retaining managers of the middle and top levels of organization management. The purpose of the study was to identify risks that arise in the process of implementing motivation programs for managerial personnel. In the study, the following tasks were solved: determining the sources and risk factors; assessing the probability of risks and the level of possible consequences of a risk event; identifying the risks that are most priority for management based on building a risk map; development of ways to reduce risks that reduce the effectiveness of the implementation of motivational programs to retain managers of the organization. The work uses systematic and situational approaches, expert assessment, the survey method and the Delphi method, risk mapping. The developed measures to eliminate risks will allow organizations to prevent reputational and financial losses and analyze the effectiveness of each implemented motivational tool to retain the leaders of the organization.

Analysis of the Effect of Water Sector Reforms on Governance in Athi Water Services Board, Kenya

The study analyzed the effect of water sector reforms on governance at athi water services board. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the impact on coverage, reporting, stakeholder and the challenges encountered in the implementation of water sector reforms on governance at Athi Water Services Board. &nbsp;The study examined the moderating effect of government legislation and donors. The study was guided by two theories: stakeholder theory and dynamic capabilities theory. The study used mixed methodology that involved collecting data by combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population was 80 employees working from the top management level, middle level management and functional level of management. The researcher conducted a census. Questionnaires were used to collect the data in which contained both open-ended questions and close-ended questions. Content and the construct validity was obtained with the help of the supervisor, who rechecked the research instruments to justify that the material inside the questionnaire was sufficient for the research. Likewise, to test for the reliability of the instruments, ten employees from Rift Valley Water Services Board were used and the internal consistency was tested using Cronbach’s alpha (α) in which the recommended value of 0.7 was utilized as a cut-off of reliabilities. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis while quantitative using descriptive and inferential statistics.The study found that coverage is positively and significantly related to governance (β=.337, p=0.000). Moreover, a positive and significant relationship was found to exist between reporting and governance (β=.241, p=0.004). Further, stakeholder participation was found to have a positive and significant relationship on governance (β=.182, p=0.039). The regression results indicated challenges is negatively and significantly related to governance (β=.-135, p=0.046). In addition, government legislation and donors was found to be a good moderator. The R square increased significantly from 0.677 (67.7%) to 0.846 (84.6%) when coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation and challenges were interacted with government legislation. The study concluded that coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation, challenges were significant in predicting governance. The study recommended there should be adequate connection to the informal sectors with sufficient water supply, developing of more sources of water and enhancing the high frequency of water supply in urban areas. There is a need for the preparation and maintenance of a strategic plan. The study also recommended that the finance department&nbsp; be independent and not influenced by management. Also, there is a need for enabling stakeholders to inspect the books of accounts freely. There should be more involvement of stakeholders to understand the root of the water sector challenges. Sufficient funds&nbsp; should be directed to the water sector to facilitate engagement in projects. There should be the facilitation of better services for Kenyans.&nbsp; There should be an investment in infrastructure necessary for production of&nbsp; clean water. There should be the creation of enhanced legislation that will improve governance in&nbsp; the water sector in Kenya.&nbsp; Keywords: Coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation, governance, challenges on governance, government legislation, water sector reforms, Athi Water Services Board, Kenya

Analysis of the Effect of Water Sector Reforms on Governance in Athi Water Services Board, Kenya

The study analyzed the effect of water sector reforms on governance at athi water services board. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the impact on coverage, reporting, stakeholder and the challenges encountered in the implementation of water sector reforms on governance at Athi Water Services Board. &nbsp;The study examined the moderating effect of government legislation and donors. The study was guided by two theories: stakeholder theory and dynamic capabilities theory. The study used mixed methodology that involved collecting data by combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population was 80 employees working from the top management level, middle level management and functional level of management. The researcher conducted a census. Questionnaires were used to collect the data in which contained both open-ended questions and close-ended questions. Content and the construct validity was obtained with the help of the supervisor, who rechecked the research instruments to justify that the material inside the questionnaire was sufficient for the research. Likewise, to test for the reliability of the instruments, ten employees from Rift Valley Water Services Board were used and the internal consistency was tested using Cronbach’s alpha (?) in which the recommended value of 0.7 was utilized as a cut-off of reliabilities. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis while quantitative using descriptive and inferential statistics.The study found that coverage is positively and significantly related to governance (?=.337, p=0.000). Moreover, a positive and significant relationship was found to exist between reporting and governance (?=.241, p=0.004). Further, stakeholder participation was found to have a positive and significant relationship on governance (?=.182, p=0.039). The regression results indicated challenges is negatively and significantly related to governance (?=.-135, p=0.046). In addition, government legislation and donors was found to be a good moderator. The R square increased significantly from 0.677 (67.7%) to 0.846 (84.6%) when coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation and challenges were interacted with government legislation. The study concluded that coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation, challenges were significant in predicting governance. The study recommended there should be adequate connection to the informal sectors with sufficient water supply, developing of more sources of water and enhancing the high frequency of water supply in urban areas. There is a need for the preparation and maintenance of a strategic plan. The study also recommended that the finance department&nbsp; be independent and not influenced by management. Also, there is a need for enabling stakeholders to inspect the books of accounts freely. There should be more involvement of stakeholders to understand the root of the water sector challenges. Sufficient funds &nbsp;should be directed to the water sector to facilitate engagement in projects. There should be the facilitation of better services for Kenyans.&nbsp; There should be an investment in infrastructure necessary for production of &nbsp;clean water. There should be the creation of enhanced legislation that will improve governance in&nbsp; the water sector in Kenya.&nbsp; Keywords: Coverage, reporting, stakeholder participation, governance, challenges on governance, government legislation, water sector reforms, Athi Water Services Board, Kenya

Performance implications of exploratory and exploitative innovation: the role of management control systems

Drawing on prominent theories of innovation, this study investigates the inter-relationships between the use of management control systems (MCS), exploratory innovation, exploitative innovation, and firm performance in Vietnam, an emerging market. The research hypotheses were empirically tested using a partial least squares-structural equation model. Data were collected by survey questionnaires from a sample of 238 top-level and middle-level managers in Vietnamese firms. The results confirm that the diagnostic use of MCS has a significant positive effect on exploitative innovation and the interactive use of MCS has a significant positive effect on both exploratory innovation and exploitative innovation. The results also reveal that exploitative innovation and exploratory innovation partially mediate the relationship between the interactive use of MCS and firm performance. Understanding these relationships can assist Vietnamese firms to invest appropriately in MCS that is able to promote innovation actions, thereby achieving outstanding performance.

Corporate Entrepreneurship Environment and Younger Workforce Engagement: An Empirical Examination

As organizations strive to engage and retain the younger generations, the increasing growth of the younger workforce as a percentage of the organizational workforce has inadvertently created difficulty in integrating them with the older workforce. With younger employees embracing significantly different values and expectations than the older workforce, organizations are increasingly working to promote corporate entrepreneurship as a potential means of engaging them. Nonetheless, we lack clarity on how the corporate entrepreneurship environment enables organizations to engage the younger workforce is unexplored. Therefore, this study uses the mixed method approach to explore the relationship between the corporate entrepreneurship environment and younger workforce engagement. Adopting a qualitative research design, we conducted semi-structured interviews with six chief people officers and four middle-level human resource managers from six different organizations in India. The findings revealed key themes, including (a) top management support, (b) work discretion, (c) rewards and younger workforce engagement, (d) time availability, and (e) organizational boundaries. We followed up with the survey research conducted on 120 younger employees to examine the hypothesized relationship. The findings indicate a direct relationship between corporate entrepreneurship environment dimensions and young workforce engagement. The study adds to the literature on younger employee engagement by explaining the critical role of corporate entrepreneurship environment dimensions as a driver of younger workforce engagement. An improved understanding of the expectations of the younger workforce will assist organizations in designing work and creating organizational environments that are more likely to engage the younger workforce.

Managing empowerment: adjusting organisational units' autonomy to achieve corporate agility

PurposeEmpowerment is recognised as being a key to achieving organisational agility. Typically associated with a particular leadership style, implications of empowerment for management have remained vague in the literature. Thus, this study aims at unpacking the facets and mechanisms of empowerment in the context of organisational units (OUs).Design/methodology/approachFirst, the authors review the extant literature and discuss the crucial concepts in the context empowerment. Then, the authors analyse qualitative data from interviews conducted in four research and development (R&D) departments in the industrial manufacturing industry.FindingsThis study finds that the empowerment of business entities is crucial when operating in turbulent conditions. However, empowerment must be accompanied by a clear focus when aiming at higher agile performance. Moreover, different autonomy types and their interplay with critical factors of middle management empowerment could be identified. The research results also reveal important details about the effects of autonomy on motivation and performance and the role of OUs' dependencies.Practical implicationsThe model proposed in this paper can help senior and middle managers better manage the empowerment of OUs required to enhance middle management agility and, in turn, increase overall organisational adaptability.Originality/valueBeyond regarding empowerment as a leadership style, this paper takes a middle management perspective and unfolds the facets of empowerment in the context of OUs. Adding to the theory of self-organisation, a model is proposed to capture the key factors to determine and manage the autonomy of OUs. These insights are essential to managing autonomy successfully at the middle management level.

Barriers Preventing the Reporting of Incidents and Near Misses Among Healthcare Professionals

Reporting of incidents and near misses among healthcare professionals can help target improvement efforts and system changes to reduce the likelihood of patient injury. This study explored barriers that hinder healthcare professionals’ disclosure of incidents and near misses in hospital settings in Saudi Arabia. Cross-sectional data were collected using a qualitative semi-structured interview with 30 participants, including surgeons, physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, pharmacists, and healthcare quality staff during January and February 2020. Barriers reported by the participants were classified across six themes: fear, lack of knowledge, lack of leadership support, workload, reporting system, and lack of motivation. Health leaders must ensure that the reporting process is planned, designed, and implemented in a nonpunitive manner. When selecting middle-level managers, their knowledge regarding quality of care and patient safety practices should be assessed. The findings of this study add to existing knowledge regarding the barriers preventing the reporting of incidents and near misses among healthcare professionals.

Empowering middle managers to free their strategic capabilities

PurposeThis article aims to better understand how empowered middle manager engage in change translation? Relying on the notions of building and dwelling strategizing, the authors analyze the micro-practices of middle managers during organizational change, when middle managers are freed from time-consuming administrative activities.Design/methodology/approachThis empirical study relies on a qualitative embedded case study approach that involves comparing two banking units belonging to a large French bank. The qualitative data were collected from three different sources: exploratory and semi-structured interviews, observations and secondary data. The coding analysis enables to distinguish middle managers' dwelling and building strategizing during organizational change.FindingsThe study’s findings show how managers translate organizational change relying on both building and dwelling strategizing. By doing so, managers enable to adapt the prescribed strategy to local circumstances and foster front-line empowerment.Research limitations/implicationsEven though the findings are based on the analysis of a single organization, the authors provide several theoretical insights. First, the authors contribute to the recent academic debate in strategy-as-practice literature by showing the recursive relation between building and dwelling strategizing. The authors also shed a new light on middle managers' strategizing by emphasizing the idea that middle managers are not only passive change “translators” but that middle managers enact a real agency in the organizational change process.Practical implicationsFrom a managerial perspective, the study’s findings enable to enlight what empowering middle managers means in practice. Indeed, the authors show clear empirical illustrations of how middle managers can be empowered by both organizational structure and top-management support. The results also reveal how empowering middle managers enable to empower their team by three different activities: (1) federate the team spirit to facilitate collaboration; (2) develop employees' capabilities and (3) adjust managers' activity according to employees' needs.Originality/valueWhile multiple current new ways of organizing encourage to transform organizations from inefficient bureaucracies into flatter and more dynamic project-based teams, calling into question the importance of middle managers' strategic role, this study provides an original case study of an organization that chose to run against the tide and created an additional middle management level.

Environmentally Sustainable Business Practices in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises: A Sub-Saharan African Country Perspective

In line with the natural resource-based view, this paper explores the sustainable business practices (SBPs) of Ghanaian micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Qualitatively, the study interviewed eight MSME operators and middle-level managers purposively to assess their use of SBPs and how it affects their businesses. Data collected were edited, coded, and grouped under themes based on the Braun and Clarke thematic framework. The study identified holistic environmental management, eco-preneurship, and regenerative practices as the environmental stewardship drivers among Ghanaian MSMEs. Also, integrated vision and strategy, process efficiency and resource optimization, and risk profiling drive process excellence. Finally, sustainability-focused leadership, internal advocates and change agents, and ongoing education and awareness as drivers for sustainability-oriented culture. The business practices of organizations have continually impacted the immediate environment within which they operate. Consequently, there is a clarion call for businesses to engage in SBPs to mitigate the effect of their operations on the environment. The study brings to bear the SBPs Ghanaian MSMEs are engaged in and how they affect their operations and survival, especially in this era of sustainability.