Middle Managers Research Articles

How middle managers perceive and articulate the discrepancy between socio-health service delivery goals and practice

Social services are an increasingly important part of the welfare state. According to existing scholarship, services should be preventative, tailored and complementary. Yet, in practice, these service delivery preconditions or goals are often found lacking. Managers in street-level organisations can influence this discrepancy, by either alleviating or further enhancing it. That is the issue we explore, by asking how the discrepancy between formal policy goals and actual service delivery is perceived and articulated by middle managers whose work includes the discretionary translation of policy on paper to their employees at the street level. To address this question, we conducted a vignette interview study among middle managers from a variety of welfare state organisations in the Netherlands. Instead of focusing on one type of service, we focus on several types of services delivered to recipients with a combination of socio-economic and health problems. The results show that the three preconditions of service delivery are perceived to be not or only partly present in service delivery practice in the Netherlands. We distinguish three ways in which middle managers articulate the ambiguous work within this discrepancy. First, they equate prevention with early identification and accessibility of services. Second, they internalise a discourse on customisation. Third, they substitute complementarity for collaboration. Given that the span of influence of the middle managers includes the individual level more than the organisational and system levels, we argue that these articulations could reinforce the existing emphasis on the service precondition tailoring at the expense of complementarity and prevention.

Cost Management Practices and Profitability of Milling Companies Registered by Cereal Millers Association in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Purpose: The objective of the study was to examine relationship between cost management practices on the profitability of milling firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Methodology: The study employed a descriptive research design. The target population entailed 15 milling companies in Nairobi City County, Kenya registered under the Cereals Millers Association (CMA). A census method was also utilized to select the senior, middle and junior level managers in the selected milling companies. This research utilized a structured questionnaire to gather data from targeted participants and the data collected was analyzed using SPSS statistical software which generated descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings: The research results revealed that direct material, direct labour, factory overhead and administrative overhead cost management practices had a negative and significant relationship with profitability. Hence, the study concluded that cost management practices have a negative and significant impact on profitability of milling companies in Nairobi city county, Kenya. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was guided by the theories of Transaction Cost, Resource-Based View and Profit Maximization. This research recommended that management of milling companies should continuously develop strong relationships with suppliers to negotiate better prices and ensure consistent quality and supply of materials. This can help in stabilizing costs and avoiding unexpected expenses. To increase employees' effectiveness and productivity, they should also continuously offer training and development opportunities. Policymakers in the milling industry should also advocate for comprehensive cost management training programs in all milling companies so as to ensure that employees in all levels of management are equipped with knowledge and skills necessary to implement cost-saving measures effectively.

Clinical leadership development in the NHS – a study in urgent and emergency care (UEC)

PurposeThis paper explores why clinicians in an emergency department (ED) become leaders, their experiences of leadership and their future developmental needs. It focuses on emerging leaders, middle management, and senior management whilst addressing the knowledge gap in identifying the training needs of clinical leadership in urgent and emergency care (UEC).Design/methodology/approachThis study utilised both surveys (n = 36) and semi-structured interviews (n = 12). Qualitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, whilst qualitative data were analysed using a thematic approach, drawing on a conceptual framework based on the inter-related concepts of culture, professional identity and leadership development. This paper focuses on the third concept and offers insights into the journey and challenges faced in making the transition from clinician to leader.FindingsThe findings revealed that most clinical leaders received insufficient training to prepare them to be leaders in UEC.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was originally intended for a single English Acute Trust, rendering the data limiting, as an interpretivist study. The fact that three Trusts were used for the semi-structured interviews helped with the triangulation of data.Practical implicationsThe paper proposes an original leadership development framework for UEC to support leaders who are often excellent clinicians, to be equally brilliant and appropriately empowered leaders.Originality/valueA more individual-centric focus on clinical leadership development is advocated, offering an original leadership development framework to support leadership development and contributing to the wider literature on education.

Middle managers matter! Unpacking the deployment and adaptation of organization-level dynamic capabilities

ABSTRACT How do public sector organizations (PSO) adapt established dynamic capabilities (DC)? Our longitudinal study of two Norwegian municipalities reveals that public middle managers leverage their distinct dynamic managerial capabilities (DMC) to deploy and adapt organization-level DC through specific meso-level mechanisms. Our study makes two significant contributions. First, we introduce a multilevel model for the deployment and adaptation of organization-level DC in PSO. Second, we challenge the prevailing upper-echelons perspective by extending the concept of DMC to include public middle managers. We demonstrate how their DMC differ from those of top public managers and contribute to shaping and operating organization-level DC.

Imperial Origins of the Large Corporation: How the Department of War Helped Build the First US Railroads

In this article, I argue that leaders of the U.S. Department of War and U.S. Army developed the organizational form and management practices of the modern corporation, decades before the advent of the railroads. Following Mark R. Wilson’s call to “bring the military in” to organizational analysis, I show how leaders of the U.S. military developed modern management practices and organizational structures as a way of maintaining control over officers, soldiers, and workers over long distances, as they provided the organized violence necessary for domestic imperialist expansion. By the time that elite merchants and real estate interests in the Atlantic port cities of the U.S. became interested in building railroads, in the late 1820s and 1830s, the U.S. Army already evidenced the key characteristics of modern business enterprise as defined by Alfred Chandler: a multi-unit organization coordinated by a hierarchy of professional, salaried, career-oriented middle and top managers. All the characteristic coordination mechanisms of the corporation: staff and line hierarchies, divisional and departmental structure, and bureaucratic systems of information gathering, surveillance, and control, were developed by the state in the course of building a continental empire.

Effect of Entrepreneurial Orientation on Performance of non-life insurance in Kenya

This research aimed to investigate the impact of entrepreneurial orientation on the performance of non-life insurance in Kenya. The research was based on the Schumpeter’s Theory. The study used a survey research design. The study's target population included 35 non-life insurance businesses licensed by the insurance regulatory authority, serving as the unit of analysis. Two senior and six middle management officials from the 35 non-life insurance companies were selected as respondents. The study used a census research survey. The primary data was gathered using self-administered questionnaires. The study also collected secondary data using secondary data collection sheet. The data was examined by descriptive statistics, including mean, standard deviation, frequencies and percentages, while inferential statistics were assessed via correlation analysis and regression analysis to evaluate the hypothesis. Reliability and validity assessments were performed to ascertain the internal consistencies of the examined variables. The gathered data was edited, coded, classed, tabulated and input into Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25 for analysis. The findings were shown in tables and models. The effect of Entrepreneurial Orientation on the performance of non-life insurance was found to be significant. The study concluded that entrepreneurial orientation plays a crucial role in enhancing the performance of non-life insurance in Kenya. Based on these findings, non-life insurance companies should cultivate a culture that embraces risk-taking, allowing employees to explore new ideas without fear of failure. Empowering employees by granting them decision-making autonomy can lead to increased creativity and problem-solving capabilities.

Organizational prosocial behavior’s facilitating role: spiritual leadership and knowledge-sharing

PurposeThis paper investigates the mediating role of organizational prosocial behavior (OPB) in the relationship between spiritual leadership (SL) and knowledge-sharing (KS) from the intrinsic motivation perspective.Design/methodology/approachA survey was used to gather data from middle and executive management employees at industrial firms in Sahab Industrial City in Jordan. The study applied quantitative exploratory methods. The study used a self-reported questionnaire to gather data, with 268 valid responses being used to conduct the analysis. The analysis of data proceeded with the aid of SEM-PLS using SmartPLS 4.FindingsThe results advocate the positive link between SL and KS routing through the mediator (OPB). The mediating role of OPB was found to be partial.Practical implicationsThis study offers practical implications for organizations that wish to optimize KS among employees. It emphasizes the crucial role of SL in determining employee OPB and proposes that managers strive to engender organization-wide transcendental values.Originality/valueThis study furthers the understanding of KS by testing the relationship between SL and KS using OPB as a mediator, which has not been investigated theoretically or empirically.

Responsible Leadership and Its Impact on Enhancing the Entrepreneurial Orientation of Business Organizations

This research aims to examine the impact of responsible leadership on fostering entrepreneurial orientation among middle managers at the Al-Abbas Holy Shrine. Responsible leadership was measured through four dimensions: (ethical person, ethical manager, stakeholder engagement, and focus on sustainable growth), while entrepreneurial orientation was assessed through: (creativity, risk-taking, proactiveness, autonomy, and competitive aggressiveness). The study relied on a questionnaire distributed randomly to a sample of 226 leaders, with data analyzed using (SPSS.V.25, Amos V23, Microsoft Excel 2016). The findings revealed a significant correlation and impact between responsible leadership and entrepreneurial orientation, with the administration emphasizing ethical values, sustainability, and innovation. The study recommended strengthening ethical values in leadership strategies and supporting innovation and entrepreneurial ideas to achieve business sustainability.

Big data analytics capability and sustainability in company innovation

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of big data analytics capability (BDAC), knowledge management (KM), corporate sustainability strategy (CSS) and sustainability design (SD) variables that affect the innovation performance (IP) of companies in the information technology (IT) sector. Taking these variables into consideration, the authors aim to highlight the key factors necessary for the sustainability and success of companies in the IT sector. Design/methodology/approach As a result of this research, a model was developed and a quantitative analysis technique was adopted. By applying PLS- structural equation modeling, the data were analyzed in the SmartPLS 4.0 program and focused on the population of companies in the IT sector. Middle and senior managers working in these companies were reached. The main reason for choosing this sector is that the variables in the research model are very important in the IT sector. Findings The analysis results are supported by the hypotheses that BDAC, information management, CSS and SD have positive effects on the IP of companies in the IT sector. Research limitations/implications In terms of research limitations, data was collected by survey method from companies operating in the IT sector in Istanbul, ensuring that participation was voluntary. Because Istanbul is the most developed city in Turkey, and hence where IT companies are located, the sample population consists of companies in this city. It is recommended that future research should develop the research model, taking this limited situation into account and contributing to the literature by collecting data from companies in different sectors by using the comparison method. Practical implications To benefit from the potential of big data, it can be predicted that companies in the IT sector should strengthen their infrastructure, increase their performance by better managing their knowledge and experience, realize innovations by achieving sustainability goals and create an environmentally friendly image by increasing the sustainability of their products/services and thus become a company that gains an innovative competitive advantage. Considering these variables collectively can help companies in the IT sector to be more efficient and sustainable. Social implications Because the studies in the literature do not have sufficient empirical findings in examining the relationships between variables, companies are offered a limited perspective on how they should approach big data initiatives. Therefore, in addition to research conducted in different sectors and different types of companies, examining the impact of BDAC as independent variables and sustainability and KM as mediator variables in companies in the IT sector will contribute to the theory. Originality/value There are many studies examining the relationship between BDAC and information management. However, examining the mediation variable effect of sustainability, which is one of the three goals of businesses, together with these variables, is important in terms of contributing to the literature. Because we are in the age of digitalization, companies are now renewing and developing strategies for the future. We can see data science, innovation, information and sustainability as the most important concepts of these strategies. Therefore, this study uses original research that can be referenced for both academics and companies.

A Technocratic Ideal

Abstract This article tracks the rise and eventual fall of the jeune cadre social type in postwar France. The term evoked the young and university-educated middle manager, an upwardly mobile member of the salaried middle class. The jeune cadre was at the center of postwar modernization and was also an emblematic part of France's “golden age of growth,” the Trente Glorieuses. Building on scholarship that questions the periodization and its underlying notions of material and social progress, this article uses the jeune cadre as a case study to explore the limits of the modernizing project. It highlights the persistent gap that separated elite discourse from the lived experience of ordinary workers and university students who did—and did not—conform to the technocratic ideal.

Impact of middle managers’ competencies on strategy implementation in Vietnamese enterprises: a multilevel strategy approach

Impact of middle managers’ competencies on strategy implementation in Vietnamese enterprises: a multilevel strategy approach

Navigating ethical tensions: Remote working experiences of female middle managers in South Africa

Orientation: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led many organisations to adopt remote work, highlighting a need to understand employees’ experiences. This shift has created a demand for interventions to support employees and organisations alike, particularly in managing the ethical challenges that accompany remote work.Research purpose: This study aimed to examine the ethical tensions faced by female middle managers in South Africa when working remotely.Motivation for the study: The study responds to calls to explore new working models, such as remote work, and their implications for both employees and organisations.Research approach/design and method: Using an interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative approach, this study focused on a sample of 23 female middle managers from public service entities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Narrative analysis was employed to explore participants’ experiences, with data analysis incorporating three levels of meaning-making based on previous organisational behaviour research.Main findings: Three primary ethical tensions emerged. Firstly, ‘to disclose or not to disclose’ captured the challenge of accounting for time worked remotely. Secondly, ‘to trust or not to trust’ revealed trust issues between managers and their teams. Thirdly, ‘to control or not to control’ highlighted the difficulty of balancing autonomy and oversight.Practical/managerial implications: Proposed interventions include: (1) clear policy guidelines for remote work, (2) training on remote work etiquette, (3) a supportive organisational culture and (4) accountability measures to foster trust.Contribution/value-add: The findings offer public service entities insights to transition from command-and-control models towards adaptive approaches balancing autonomy with organisational goals.

Organizational climate for initiative and innovative work behavior: a moderated mediation model

PurposeThis paper aimed at investigating the relationship between organizational climate for initiative, job autonomy, climate for innovation and innovative work behavior (IWB) in a developing economy context.Design/methodology/approachThe study surveyed 444 manufacturing businesses in Morocco, collecting data from three sources: CEOs, middle managers and non-managerial employees in the production department. The data were analyzed using structural equation modelling, the Bayesian estimation approach and the bootstrapped moderated mediation technique.FindingsThis study revealed that middle managers’ job autonomy mediates the positive link between climate for initiative and middle managers’ IWB when climate for innovation is strong.Practical implicationsThis study provides practical information for organizations intending to make their middle managers willing to be innovative in their job by granting them job autonomy and building favorable climates for initiative and innovation.Originality/valueThis research expands the human resource management and innovation literature by examining features of the work context (i.e. climates for initiative and for innovation, and job autonomy) as previous research has mainly focused on the context approach to work design (i.e. social environment of work design). The study highlights the role of middle managers as essential contributors to fostering innovations within their firms.

Green strategy orientation and competitiveness: an optimal distinctiveness perspective

PurposeImplementing a green strategy to enhance the competitiveness of enterprises is a hot topic in current research. Although most enterprises have formed a green strategy orientation (GSO), it has not been transformed into green competitiveness (GC). Prior studies have not thoroughly studied the effect and mechanism of GSO on GC. To fill this research gap, based on optimal distinctiveness theory, this paper discusses the mediating role of two kinds of green innovation (GI) in the GSO–GC relationship and the moderating role of big data capability (BDC).Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the quantitative research methods of multiple linear regression, Bootstrap and structural equation modeling (SEM). Data were collected through a questionnaire and a random sampling method was used to survey middle and senior managers and professionals in manufacturing enterprises. About 400 questionnaires were distributed, and 342 valid questionnaires were collected.FindingsThe conclusions show that GSO significantly positively affects GI and GC. Still, it turns out that only strategic green innovation (SGI) mediates the GSO–GC relationship. BDC can positively moderate the mediation effect of SGI between GSO and GC, thus supporting the moderated mediation model.Research limitations/implicationsThis study used a survey questionnaire from Chinese manufacturing enterprises to collect data, but the sample size was limited. Furthermore, the mediating mechanism by which GSO affects GC requires further exploration. This study directly establishes the GSO–GC relationship based on the optimal distinctiveness theory, making an essential contribution to the literature on GSO and GC. At the same time, this paper uses GI as a bridge to connect the relationship between GSO and GC, enriching the literature on GI. In addition, we consider BDC to be a moderator, expanding the boundaries of the GSO–GC relationship.Practical implicationsThis study provides new knowledge and insights for manufacturing enterprises to construct and implement green strategies to achieve GC. More importantly, managers should attach great importance to the critical role of SGI and BDC.Originality/valueThis study understands the importance of GSO, SGI and BDC to GC in theory and practice.

Explaining the barriers and facilitators of the accreditation process in maternity departments

BackgroundAccreditation is an important tool to ensure the quality of health services in health systems. Many studies have been conducted on the quality of accreditation in general and intensive care settings from the perspective of clinical nurses and nursing managers, but the barriers and facilitators of accreditation in maternity departments have not been studied. This study aims to explain the experiences and perspectives of midwives on implementing the accreditation process in the maternity department.MethodsThis qualitative conventional content analysis research was conducted in 2024 in Qom, Iran. Twelve midwives from the maternity departments of two referral hospitals were purposefully chosen. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was performed using Graneheim and Lundman’s approach.ResultsThree categories were extracted for accreditation barriers: Management barriers with subcategories of “The lack of cultural structure, Shortage of personnel, Not entering gynecologists into the accreditation process, Non-effective management”, Administrative barriers with subcategories of “Paperwork and a lot of incoming information, Time-consuming and consuming tasks of accreditation, The dilemma between accreditation indicators and hospital standards, Imbalance between shift work activities, and participation in the process of accreditation, and Personal barriers with subcategories of “ Paperwork and a lot of incoming information, Head midwife’s stress and concern for accreditation, Inappropriate staff attitude toward accreditation, Reducing the motivation in the midwife, Midwife feel forced to do accreditation, Resistance to change. Two categories were extracted for accreditation facilitators: Actual facilitators with subcategories of” The availability of in-service training courses, Determining the errors and clarification activities with documentation, Clinical midwifes’ involvement in decisions of the accreditation, Risk reduction, and job security “and Potential facilitators with subcategories of “Hope for a better future with the accreditation process, Satisfaction of the accreditation, transparency, Emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness”.ConclusionsBarriers to completing accreditation are multidimensional. The lack of proper management to create a cultural structure, to involve members of the treatment team, to solve the lack of staff, conflict between hospital standards and accreditation standards, frequent manual documentation, lack of anxiety control and promotion of motivation are some of the barriers to completing accreditation. Having multiple in-service courses related to accreditation and categorized errors and emphasizing effectiveness is a facilitator of accreditation completion. Considering the importance of the mother and newborn, health managers should adopt short and long-term management policies in the maternity departments to improve the facilitating factors and remove the barriers. To control the erosiveness of the accreditation process, the high-level managers of the hospitals should teach midwives effective management methods, and the active participation of gynecologists, increase motivation with financial and administrative incentives, involve more midwives in committees, and increase the personnel involved in the accreditation process. The middle managers of the hospital should also coordinate and balance the number of clinical shifts with the number of shifts in the accreditation process team. Planning in-service training to explain and inform about how to accurately complete accreditation standards and classification activities to reduce work errors.

HOW TO BE A B‐SUITE LEADER WITH C‐SUITE IMPACT

AbstractThe author, founder of BoldHR, outlines how middle managers can gain more influence and leverage within organizations. These managers “are essential for bridging strategy and execution, yet receive little of the attention or support they deserve.” She contends that “if we expect middle managers to adopt a more strategic mindset—thinking less like the middle managers of the past and more like C‐suite leaders—it’s time for a radical rebrand.” She provides “steps we can take to instill a C‐Suite mindset in all middle managers—based on data from more than 1,000 managers in Australia.” The steps, in the author’s words, are: Assess Leadership Maturity; Focus Less on How the Work Gets Done and More on What Work Gets Done; Confront the root cause of burnout and control the pace; Once you’ve “controlled the pace,” “use the space” to boost confidence. And she notes that her company’s research shows four competencies in particular are crucial to be developed in middle managers: the “ability to motivate and engage others, their capacity to cope, their skills in managing up, and their willingness to manage their reputation. With the exception of coping, these competencies are dominated by influencing ‐ a habit that most middle managers engage with reluctantly.”

An exploration of changes in the mental models of middle management and their association with activities to implement a dialogue tool to address mental health in the workplace

BackgroundThere is a growing awareness for addressing mental health in the workplace. Although interventions to promote mental health at the organizational-level exist, implementation is a challenge. Middle management can play a crucial role in implementing organisational-level interventions. Also, we know that mental models often need to change first, before enactment of such interventions occur. The aim of this study is therefore to better understand whether and how changes in mental models of middle managers are associated with the implementation activities of an organisational-level intervention to support mental health. Ultimately, this is meant to lead to the enactment of, in this case, a dialogue tool to normalize a conversation between middle manager and employee to enhance mental health.MethodsParticipatory Action Research was used as a method to design our implementation of a dialogue tool primarily focused on middle management to address mental in health in one SME company with 238 employees. In-depth interviews with 11 (middle) managers at the start of the implementation phase were held. After nine months, 9 out of the same 11 (middle) managers were interviewed again to gain understanding whether and how changes occurred during the implementation. Thematic analysis was applied to the interviews, from inductive and deductive perspective. Focus groups with employees and observations during the implementation activities were used for triangulation purposes.ResultsThe mental models of the (middle) managers were analyzed based on readiness for change, perceived challenges and perceived opportunities. These mental models were generally positive towards the project, despite the low trust towards the Top Management and the general lack of experience with addressing mental health at the workplace. Nine months later, mental models changed towards more awareness and engagement in addressing mental health. Also, enactment of the dialogue tool by middle management and employees occurred. An association of these changes with, for example, the frequency and pace of implementation activities in which all employees were involved was reported.ConclusionTo implement interventions addressing mental health at the workplace, taking the time and using implementation activities that match the needs of middle management might help to change mental models of (middle) management.

The moderating effect of environmental dynamism on entrepreneurship and open innovation

Background: The effect of entrepreneurship on open innovation under challenging environmental dynamics remains an unresolved issue critical for global economic progress, as the environmental dynamics alter businesses’ capacity for entrepreneurship.Aim: This study aims to examine how entrepreneurship influences open innovation in Chinese companies by investigating the moderating role of environmental dynamism.Setting: A survey questionnaire collected data from 329 middle and senior managers in Shandong, Shanghai, Beijing and other provinces.Method: This study used hierarchical regression analysis as the data analysis method to test the causal relationships and mediating and moderating effects of each hypothesis.Results: It was found that entrepreneurship has a significant positive impact on open innovation in firms. Specifically, entrepreneurial risk-taking and anticipation positively affected open innovation behaviour and strategic orientation of innovation. Moreover, environmental dynamism moderated the relationship between entrepreneurial mechanisms and open innovation.Conclusion: The findings provided new insights into how environmental dynamism shapes the emergence of innovative companies in China. The study suggests entrepreneurs should adjust efforts to promote open innovation behaviour according to the degree of dynamism.Contribution: The study expands and improves the development of the resource-based view and the capability-based view from a theoretical perspective. Furthermore, it broadens the theoretical lens by examining how the strategic orientation of innovation towards entrepreneurship supports open innovation practices to improve the operational performance of organisations. Finally, this research empirically examined the moderating impact of environmental dynamism on the relationship between entrepreneurial strategic orientation and open innovation-based environmental dynamism on company performance.

A scoping review of middle managers in the digital transformation era in public sector organizations: are they still needed?

A scoping review of middle managers in the digital transformation era in public sector organizations: are they still needed?

They Asked Me If I Wanted to Grow: The Self-Directed, Lifelong Learning of Middle Managers in the Banking Industry

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of middle managers in the banking industry practicing self-directed, lifelong learning. The theory guiding this study is Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory and its relationship with lifelong learning. This study aimed to answer the following question: What are the lived experiences of middle managers in the banking industry practicing heutagogy to develop lifelong learning skills? Data collected from individual interviews, focus groups, and journal prompts were synthesized using inductive coding to identify patterns and connections in the resulting data. Following an in-depth analysis of the collected data, five major themes emerged. Learning and employment growth, lifelong learning and adaptation, organizational implementation of learning, referrals and career advancement, and personal growth through experience and accomplishment offer a valuable perspective into middle managers’ experiences in the banking industry practicing self-directed learning. These themes provide insight into the various aspects of their personal and professional growth journey. The study concludes by discussing the implications and findings for future research.