Middle Managers Research Articles

Openness influences business model innovation: the mediating role of digital capability

PurposeExploring open value, cultivating digital capability (DC) and driving business model innovation (BMI) have become an inevitable choice for enterprises to meet market demand and adapt to environmental changes. However, as one of the situational variables of BMI, the positive or negative influence of openness has not been proved and the path mechanism between DC and BMI is not clear. Based on the dynamic capability theory, this paper takes manufacturing enterprises as an example to explore the internal impact mechanisms of organizational openness on BMI. It extends the analysis by introducing DC as a mediating variable and introducing manufacturing enterprise type (high-tech and non-high-tech) as a moderating variable.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was conducted using data collected in China, data from 355 manufacturing enterprises were collected to carry out empirical research. Participants were mainly middle and senior managers with a comprehensive grasp of their firms’ information. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to test the reliability and validity of the sample data, and negative binomial regression analysis was used to test hypothesis relationships.FindingsThe authors find an inverted U-shaped relationship between openness and BMI, and explain that excessive openness may lead to low resource utilization, organizational inertia, cooperation distrust, which will have a negative impact on BMI. DC includes digital resource capability (DRC), digital management capability (DMC) and digital collaboration capability (DCC), which promote BMI and play a mediating role between openness and BMI. Enterprise type has a moderating effect on the relationship between DC and BMI.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this paper summarize the opportunities and threats of open innovation, help enterprises fully understand the double-edged sword impact of openness, guide manufacturing enterprises to be sensitive to openness and achieve sustainable innovation. By analyzing the path of DRC, DMC and DCC to BMI, managers can improve their understanding of digital-driven value creation process and improve the competitive advantage of enterprises.Originality/valueThis paper presents the relationships among openness, DC and BMI. We find the non-linear effects of openness on DC and BMI, bridging the inconsistent view of positive or negative relationship between openness and organizational change in previous studies. The introduction of DC extends the theory of dynamic capability in the digital age, and opens the “black box” from opening to BMI from the process perspective of DRC, DMC and DCC. From the perspective of enterprise type, this paper provides different choices of capability upgrading and strategic innovation based on openness for high-tech and non-high-tech manufacturing enterprises.

The role of chief medical officers in the Italian context: managers or clinicians?

PurposeDespite the advent of New Public Management theories over three decades ago, doubts persist regarding the practical implementation of these principles in the public health-care context. Challenges arise particularly from the type of system where this phenomenon is analyzed. In the Italian context, for instance, it can be arduous to define universally applicable organizational behaviors, given the interregional disparity that characterizes such a system. Furthermore, the professional identity of clinician-managers influences the perception of what “being a manager” means. This paper, thus, using the Italian context as a reference, aims to delineate what is the perception of Italian public hospitals clinician-middle-managers in terms of their responsibilities and tasks.Design/methodology/approachA survey-questionnaire was distributed to 6,011 Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) in Italian public hospitals, representing 100% of such role holders in the country. With a response rate of 16.7%, 1,005 responses were obtained. The questionnaire assessed CMOs' attitudes toward specific activities relevant to clinician-management, ranked from most to least important. Activities were derived from literature and categorized to discern management styles. Subgroups based on geographical location and professional orientation were also identified to isolate regional effects and professional identity influences.FindingsResults suggested that activities associated with a collaborative approach are perceived as most important. Furthermore, it clearly emerges the difference based on professional orientation of CMOs. However, it could not be appreciated the same level of difference basing the analysis on regional disparities.Originality/valueThe interest in the role of middle management in healthcare organizations has increased over the years. Nevertheless, currently the authors believe that not many studies are focused on defining what “being a manager” means for clinician-managers themselves, rather than explaining what clinician-managers shall do.

Middle Manager Resistance to, or Acceptance of Organisational Change in the Australian Public Service

This paper explores the impact of policy on organisational factors (leadership and organisational culture) and managers’ personal attributes (such as psychological capital) on their resistance to or acceptance of change. This qualitative study utilised interviews with senior leaders and focus groups with middle managers. The findings identified the impact of senior leadership and managers’ Psychological Capital on their acceptance of change. This paper identified the importance of understanding the drivers of change on managers during the change process in two public sector organisations. This paper found that the implementation of NPM reforms and austerity funding affected how managers’ interpreted new policies, which impacted their acceptance of change.

The Relationship between Electronic Marketing and Consumer Behavior "An Applied Study on a Sample of Customers of Al-Rafidain Bank – Iraq"

The current research aims to understanding the relationship between e-marketing and consumer behavior through study applied to a sample of Rafidain Bank customers, and the current research focuses on surveying the opinions of a sample of customers dealing with Rafidain Bank in three Iraqi governorates (Babil, Karbala, and Najaf), numbering (325) Customers. the researcher examined, through a set of hypotheses, the effects of the independent variable, which is electronic marketing, on consumer behavior, and consequently the effects of the latter on the bank’s profitability. A questionnaire was designed to survey the opinions of the individuals in the aforementioned research sample, according to a scale to be respected the quintet, and these phrases included five axes distributed between the study variables, demographic information of the study sample, elements of electronic marketing, elements supporting electronic marketing, indicators of the efficiency of banking services, and finally consumer behavior. The descriptive analysis resulted in tables that displayed the initial statistical results and analytical results that address the research hypotheses, whether negative or positive. the study reached the following conclusions the most important of which is that The dimensions of consumer behavior are arranged as follows: education, attitudes, perception, motives, and finally, the study proved the existence of a strong relationship between the independent variable and the mediator on the bank's profitability clearly, so the recommendations were confirmed that this relationship should be under the attention of the relevant parties in the upper and middle management and that they should take it into account when working on developing the marketing mix strategies for banking services at Rafidain bank to enhance its pioneering role in banking work at the level of Iraq and the world.

Vertical and lateral dynamics of middle managers’ strategizing for institutional complexity

Abstract Research suggests that institutional complexity is of strategic importance and recent calls have been made to investigate organizational strategizing in such a situation of multiple institutional logics. We therefore investigate middle managers’ strategizing for institutional complexity. In doing so, we follow theoretical suggestions of a renewed practice-based view on strategizing as a broad social accomplishment beyond top management activities. Based on a qualitative field study in a company under influence of substantive financial reform, findings show that middle managers re-strategize institutional complexity at the vertical interstices of top management strategies and the distributed agency of their followers. Furthermore, the study highlights the character and effects of lateral dynamics of middle managers’ competing strategizing. We explain how these vertical and lateral dynamics provide insight into strategizing for institutional complexity as a distributed, situated, and emergent social accomplishment. Such strategizing practices have unintended organizational consequences beyond both top and middle management control.

Off the beaten track: Portugal’s strategies for attracting international students

Portugal, a semi-peripheral player in international student mobility (ISM), has historically attracted few international students. Against a significant growth in international enrolments in recent years, this paper explores the institutional strategies underpinning this expansion in 13 Portuguese higher education institutions with the highest proportions of international students. Through semi-structured interviews with 24 top institutional leaders and middle managers, we analyse the recruitment strategies deployed to improve attractiveness and target publics through the lens of globalisation theories. Findings indicate that institutions are deliberately and proactively navigating the changing landscape of ISM through strategies that range from more traditional marketing actions to some very innovative and unique approaches to recruitment. They also reveal a deliberate diversification of target publics. The paper enhances knowledge about recruitment strategies in a less popular destination, highlighting that creativity and resourcefulness are necessary for semi-peripheral countries to gain terrain in international recruitment.

Entrepreneurship and its Impact on Employee Performance through Job Satisfaction A Study of the Opinions of Senior and Middle Management in Telecommunications Companies Operating in Iraq

This study aims to examine the impact of entrepreneurship strategies on employee performance, with job satisfaction serving as a mediating variable, in telecommunications companies operating in Iraq. A sample of 340 individuals from senior and middle management was selected using random sampling. The study employed a descriptive analytical method, and data were collected via a questionnaire. Analysis was performed using SPSS and AMOS software. The results indicated a statistically significant effect of entrepreneurship strategies on both employee performance and job satisfaction. Furthermore, job satisfaction was found to mediate the relationship between entrepreneurship and employee performance. Recommendations include fostering a supportive environment that enhances job satisfaction, encourages creativity, and improves employee performance.

Zoning of the Lower Volga Region and Formation of Territory, Okrug, District and Rural Bodies of Soviet Authority in 1928: First Stage

Introduction. The article examines the process of formation of the Lower Volga region and Soviet authorities at the level of regional, district, and rural administration at the first stage of zoning (before the liquidation of okrugs). Methods and materials. The research was carried out based on traditional methods of historical research (historical-genetic, retrospective, historical-systemic, and historical-comparative). The use of an array of unpublished archival documents stored in the State Archives of the Volgograd Region and the Documentation Center for Contemporary History of the Volgograd Region, and materials from periodicals and legislative sources of government bodies of the USSR and the RSFSR, greatly facilitated the research process. Analysis. The study is aimed at identifying the regional specifics of the zoning process and the accompanying process of formation of Soviet authorities (at the level of councils and executive committees of councils of the Lower Volga region). Results. The zoning of the Lower Volga region already at the first stage revealed a range of problems, the systematic solution of which in the future will make it possible to transform the agricultural region into the industrial center of the Volga region. In the process of reform, along with positive aspects – the reduction in cost of the management apparatus, the bringing closer to the population of Soviet authorities endowed with significant powers (district executive committees and councils) – there were also clearly negative consequences. The distance of rural councils from middle management and the consolidation of individual rural councils, on the one hand, led to the planned reduction of hardware costs but, on the other hand, excluded remote villages from active public life. Districts became the main operational unit of economic and Soviet work in the region. There were several issues to address, including the imbalance between districts with different population sizes, from small ones with just over 2,000 people to large ones with populations approaching 100,000. Additionally, there was a lack of communication between administrative units and personnel problems, which emerged as a significant hurdle in the development of district and rural Soviet administration at the second stage of zoning (in the conditions of the liquidation of okrugs).

Trade Facilitation as a Catalyst for Government Revenue Enhancement: Exploring the Synergies Between Trade Efficiency and Tax Collection

Customs administrators worldwide are mandated to mobilize national revenue collections through the assessment and collection of applicable duties and taxes on all imports and exports. One of their primary concerns following the ratification of the Trade Facilitation Agreement is the need to optimise revenue collections while simultaneously upholding trade facilitation. This research assesses trade facilitation implications on government revenue mobilization in developing countries with a particular emphasis on Zimbabwe. The paper adopts a qualitative approach, capturing several subjective elements including the examination of the Critical Success Factors for enhanced revenue collection as well as the evaluation of trade facilitation as a solution to customs revenue leakages. Purposive sampling was employed to collect data from employees working in the Customs Division at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. Eighty questionnaires were distributed to participants working in Beitbridge, Chirundu, Forbes border posts and the Robert Mugabe International Airport targeting Customs Senior Managers, Customs Middle Managers, Revenue Supervisors and Revenue Officers as key respondents. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 29. This analysis focused on four dimensions of trade facilitation, which includes port efficiency, customs environment, regulatory environment, and electronic-business. The findings indicate that trade facilitation reforms, when executed appropriately in conjunction with enhancements in electronic-business, port efficiency, customs environment and the regulatory framework, can effectively augment revenue collection. Regulatory environment improvements are key in influencing increasing revenue collection and should be prioritised in resource allocation for the achievement of best possible outcomes. We recommend ‘continuous refresher training’ on trade facilitation awareness targeting all stakeholders in ports of entry, accompanied by the implementation of robust risk management strategies as well as intensified implementation of integrity management tools.

Critical success factors for ergonomics programs and their relationship to benefits of health and safety in Mexico’s manufacturing industries

This research determines the critical factors for implementing ergonomics programs related to health and safety benefits in the manufacturing industries of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, from the middle/upper management perspective. The sample was non-probabilistically selected for convenience, comprising individuals in middle and senior management positions. An original questionnaire containing 105 items measuring five latent variables was developed, reviewed, and validated for data collection. The sample size totalled 206 participants. Structural equation models using partial least squares (PLS) were employed to analyse interrelationships between variables. This research demonstrated acceptable reliability and quality indices. Management commitment emerged as the most significant factor, exerting the highest direct, indirect, and total effects on the work environment and prevention activities, significantly enhancing health and safety benefits. Consequently, manufacturing companies in Juarez City must strive to improve management commitment in the working environment and prevention activities since both strategies can increase employee health and safety benefits.

’It’s a Them and Us Thing’: Understanding Turnover Antecedents in Elite School Middle Management in England

’It’s a Them and Us Thing’: Understanding Turnover Antecedents in Elite School Middle Management in England

Tactical capacity planning under uncertainty - a capacity limitation analysis.

Tactical capacity planning is crucial when hospitals must cope with substantial changes in patient requirements, as recently experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, there is only little understanding of the nature of capacity limitations in a hospital, which is essential for effective tactical capacity planning. We report a detailed analysis of capacity limitations at a Norwegian tertiary public hospital and conducted 22 in-depth interviews. The informants participated in capacity planning and decision-making during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data are clustered into categories of capacity limitations and a correspondence analysis provides additional insights. Personnel and information were the most mentioned types of capacity limitations, and middle management and organizational functions providing specialized treatment felt most exposed to capacity limitations. Further analysis reveals that capacity limitations are dynamic and vary across hierarchical levels and organizational functions. Future research on tactical capacity planning should take interdisciplinary patient pathways better into account as capacity limitations are dynamic and systematically different for organizational functions and hierarchical levels. We argue that our study possesses common characteristics of tertiary public hospitals, including professional silos and fragmentation of responsibilities along patient pathways. Therefore, we recommend operations managers in hospitals to focus more on intra-organizational information flows to increase the agility of their organization. Our detailed capacity limitation analysis at a tertiary public hospital in Norway during the Covid-19 pandemic provides novel insights into the nature of capacity limitations, which may enhance tactical capacity planning.

Supporting experiential learning for expanding successes: extending Kolb’s model

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate how middle managers help subordinates expand their successes, drawing on experiential learning theory and the broaden-and-build theory. Using an open-ended survey of middle managers (n = 203) working for a global manufacturer of motor vehicles and parts in Japan, the grounded theory approach was used to develop the model of experiential learning support for expanding successes. The results suggest that managers tend to help their subordinates review and expand their successes through four phases that consist of recognition and acceptance, analysis (causal analysis, generalisation, and improvement) sharing (documentation and standardisation and knowledge sharing) and application (stretched assignments and action plan). This study contributes to the literature on Human Resource Development by identifying positive instructional methods for developing employees.

Pengaruh desentralisasi terhadap kinerja manajer yang dimediasi oleh sistem akuntansi manajemen (Studi kasus pada dealer dan showroom di Kota Manado)

Good interaction between the management accounting system and decentralization will give positive results to the manager's performance due to the alignment of information and decision-making that can improve the company's performance. The purpose of this study to find out the effect of decentralization on manager performance mediated by management accounting system on dealerships and showrooms in Manado City. This study used an extended multiple regression analysis model with an analytical path model. The results of decentralization research directly affect the significance of managerial performance. It means that the greater the degree of delegation of authority and responsibility of top management to middle and lower managers in the form of decision-making, the higher the managerial performance. Decentralization has a significant effect on the management accounting system, but the management accounting system has no significant effect on the manager's performance. From these results, the management accounting system was unable to mediate the influence of decentralization on manager performance.

Toward strategic supremacy through absorptive capacity: The mediating role of organizational ambidexterity at Jordanian commercial banks

Disruption in the business environment imposes undeniable realities that require effective strategic management; therefore, the need to develop a particular type of force capable of achieving proactive strategies, influencing competitors’ behavior, and balancing competitive forces has arisen. This study aimed to examine the impact of absorptive capacity on achieving strategic supremacy and the mediating role of organizational ambidexterity within Jordan’s commercial banking industry. It employs 513 questionnaires from middle and upper management through proportionate stratified random sampling. It adopts a quantitative approach through partial least squares structural equation modeling to construct a research model comprising factors affecting strategic supremacy and the mediating role of organizational ambidexterity and validate the research hypotheses. The study revealed that absorptive capacity significantly impacts organization ambidexterity (β = 0.764, t = 33.939, p = 0.000) with explanation power (R2 = 0.584). Organizational ambidexterity has a significant positive impact on strategic supremacy (β = 0.561, t = 12.469, p = 0.000). Absorptive capacity has a significant positive impact on strategic supremacy through organizational ambidexterity (β = 0.334, t = 6.963, p = 0.000) with high explanation power (R2 = 0.712), which means that 71.2% of the variance in strategic supremacy has been explained by absorptive capacity and organizational ambidexterity. Moreover, organizational ambidexterity partially mediates their relationship. It also found that the model’s predictive power was moderate. The study concludes that Jordanian commercial banks have placed high importance on identifying and acquiring valuable external knowledge and balancing their short-term and long-term opportunities to achieve strategic supremacy, leading to sustainable competitive advantage.

Tengsl streituvaldandi þátta í starfsumhverfi, svefns og stoðkerfisverkja hjá millistjórnendum í opinberri þjónustu

Millistjórnendur eru í krefjandi hlutverki og upplifa sig oft eins og milli steins og sleggju. Þeir gegna þungavigtarhlutverki en störf þeirra einkennast af miklu vinnuálagi og streitu. Þó hafa þeir fengið fremur litla athygli í stjórnendafræðum, einkum innan heilbrigðisþjónustunnar. Við vitum til dæmis lítið um áhrif þessa krefjandi starfs á heilsu þeirra, til dæmis hvort streituvaldandi þættir í starfsumhverfinu tengjast stoðkerfisverkjum og svefni. Tilgangur þessarar rannsóknar var að skoða þessi tengsl. Um er að ræða lýsandi þversniðsrannsókn þar sem gögnum var safnað með forprófuðum spurningalista sem sendur var rafrænt á 137 hjúkrunardeildarstjóra í gegnum Outcome-kannanakerfið. Svarhlutfall var 80,9%. Lýsandi tölfræði og ályktunartölfræði var notuð við úrvinnslu gagna. Niðurstöður sýndu skýr tengsl streituvaldandi þátta í starfsumhverfi, stoðkerfisverkja og ófullnægjandi svefns eftir að stjórnað var fyrir áhrifum af aldri, hjúskaparstöðu og fjölda stöðugilda í hjúkrun á deild. Streituvaldandi þættir í starfsumhverfinu og svefn höfðu tengsl við styrkleika stoðkerfisverkja á hálssvæði og herðum og svefn hafði tengsl við styrkleika verkja í neðri hluta baks. Meiri streita þýddi meiri stoðkerfisverki á hálssvæði og í herðum að teknu tilliti til svefns. Ófullnægjandi svefn þýddi aftur meiri stoðkerfisverki frá öllum þremur líkamssvæðunum að teknu tilliti til streituvaldandi þátta. Saman skýrðu streituvaldandi þættir í starfsumhverfinu og ófullnægjandi svefn, að teknu tilliti til aldurs, hjúskaparstöðu og fjölda stöðugilda við hjúkrun á deild, 17% af heildarbreytileika í styrkleika stoðkerfisverkja á hálssvæði, 21% í herðum og 14% í neðri hluta baks. Fram kom marktæk samvirkni milli streituvaldandi þátta í starfsumhverfinu og svefns varðandi styrkleika stoðkerfisverkja á hálssvæði. Niðurstöður þessarar rannsóknar verða vonandi til þess að hugað verði betur að streituvaldandi þáttum í starfsumhverfi millistjórnenda svefni og stoðkerfisverkjum þeirra.

Integrated Reporting Impact on Core Organisational Practices: A Practice‐Based Perspective

AbstractThis research explores how managers implement integrated reporting (IR) in their organisations and its impact on practices. We use 25 semi‐structured interviews with top and middle managers of early adopters' private companies to examine the conditions under which managers initially made sense of IR long before its institutionalisation. Conceptually drawing from practice theory, we show how top and middle managers make sense of (practical intelligibility) IR and how this influences core operational practices. The analysis shows that IR practices can be more or less totalitarian, revealing the importance of the institutional pressures and teleo‐affective structures held and promoted by the managers in charge. This research offers a counterpoint to studies that suggest that accounting has a limited impact when practised in a less totalitarian form. It also highlights the importance of affective aspects and the crucial role of managers in these aspects. Given the rapid changes in the regulatory context, understanding how managers make sense of integrated tools is of utmost importance.

Dynamics of Public Participation on Sustainable Resource Management in County Government of Kericho, Kenya

Sustainable resource management involve managing resources in a way that their sources are not depleted; so that the future generations can also benefit from it. Africa is endowed with diverse and abundant natural resources and stands at a critical juncture where responsible and sustainable management of these resources is paramount for the continent's development. The Kenyan governments (national-level and county-level) recognize the need for sustainable resource management for the good of the citizens. In devolved government units in Kenya, sustainable resource management is a critical. This study sought to assess the dynamics of public participation on sustainable resource management in county government of Kericho, Kenya. The study was guided by Resource-based view theory, administrative theory, transformational leadership theory and the theory of Planned Behaviour. This study adopted a pragmatism approach that took a practical and flexible approach, focusing on the usefulness and applicability of research findings, rather than an all-or-nothing, mutually exclusive philosophical position. A descriptive research design with a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative data collections was adopted. The target population of the study comprised a total of 213 senior, middle and lower level management staff of the county government of Kericho. The Stratified random sampling was used to develop a sample from different management groups. A sample of 139 management staff was selected using Slovin’s formula. Reliability of the study was ensured by conducting a pilot study in the neighbouring County Government of Nakuru while context, content and criterion validity were ascertained by the researcher in the field of study. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics which described the nature of ethical leadership and sustainable resource management. Inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation and regression analysis) were used to determine the nature of influence between the variables. This was done with the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Qualitative data was analysed by themes and content analysis. The study findings revealed that, public participation had a statistically significant influence on sustainable resource management. The study concluded that there exists a strong and significant relationship between public participation (r=0.832 and p=0.000) and sustainable resource management in Kericho County, Kenya. The study recommends that in order to enhance public participation members of the public should be empowered by giving the information and documents containing information on development activities and legislations that require their input in advance so that they know and understand what they are coming to do in public forums.

The Role of Middle Management in Building Sustainability Competitive Advantage Through Organization Capability in District Hospitals Banyuwangi: Cross Level Analysis Approach

In the competitive healthcare industry, organizations, including hospitals, strive for sustainable advantages. Key to this is organizational capability, managing resources, processes, and innovation toward strategic goals. This study analyzes how middle management involvement affects these capabilities. Conducted in Banyuwangi's hospitals, it employed a descriptive cross-sectional method, using literature, observation, and questionnaires. Data analysis via SEM PLS showed middle management involvement and autonomy positively influence organizational capabilities. Competency intensity mediates this relationship. Organizational capabilities also positively impact sustainable competitive advantage. Inertial organizations mediate capabilities towards this advantage. These findings highlight the critical role of middle management in enhancing organizational capabilities for sustainable competitiveness in the healthcare sector.

Assessing Evidence-Based Disability Inclusion Policy and Practices to Promote Employment of People With Disabilities in the Workplace: Scale Development and Validation

There is a strong commitment in the United States and the European Union to better support people with disabilities in the competitive labor market, where disability inclusion is widely viewed as a social imperative and underscored in policies, such as the European Union’s Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2020–2030, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. However, there is a lack of readily available strategies and tools for rehabilitation counselors to collaborate effectively with businesses and organizations in assessing their progress toward these inclusion goals. To address this need, the Disability Inclusion Profiler (DIP23) was developed to assess disability inclusion policies and practices. This study aimed to examine the factor structure, reliability, and validity of the DIP23 in a sample of 466 human resources managers. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a two-factor measurement structure: (1) Executive Level and (2) Middle Management and Staff Level Disability Inclusion Policies. Both factors demonstrated strong internal consistency and correlated with employment rates of people with disabilities. The DIP23 is a psychometrically sound measure for rehabilitation counselors to help organizations assess their disability-inclusive climate and identify areas of strengths and areas needing improvement to increase disability representation in the workplace.