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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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the role of Employee empowerment as a driver of management innovation and the mediating role of two employee behavioural factors, Organizational identification and Employee organizational commitment, on the association between Employee empowerment and management innovation. Data were collected from 156 middle-level managers in Australian organizations using mail and online survey questionnaires and analysed using structural equation modelling. The results show a direct positive association between Employee empowerment with both dimensions of management innovation (practices and techniques). Further, Organizational identification was found to mediate the association between Employee empowerment and management innovation techniques and Employee organizational commitment was found to exhibit a direct association with management innovation. The findings provide organizations with an insight into the critical role of Employee empowerment, Organizational identification and Employee organizational commitment in influencing the extent of use of management innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to analyze the support roles and responsibilities of Circuit Managers' (CM) as middle tier managers to principals during education change in South Africa. Change management theories were used as theoretical frameworks to underpin this study. Using semistructured individual interviews data was collected from four CM and thirteen secondary school principals. Principals expressed that they are not effectively nor adequately supported within their specific challenging context by the Circuit Manager that is appointed to support them during education change. The study reveals that CM dictate more time toward administrative obligations and mostly assume accountability and responsibility for tasks outside of their purview or job description. Principals who are not effectively supported by CM find it difficult to provide quality leadership and management during education change as well as ensure school improvement. Change strategies are recommended for CM's, districts and stakeholders in the basic education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the increasing number of women in STEM professions and higher education, they are underrepresented in middle management leadership roles. In these roles, they face challenges balancing multiple demands, especially in male-dominated cultures. This research used a life history approach to investigate the role identities of three female middle management leaders in a Qatari university. The Dynamic Systems Model of Role Identity guided the semi-structured interviews where participants shared their past, present, and future stories. The findings revealed the intricate manner in which the participants formed their leadership identities, emphasizing values like motherly care, trust, and respect. Through their goal-oriented self-perception, they fostered collegial support and motivated peers. While formal leadership training was lacking, they leaned on past experiences and family support to handle leadership tasks and life responsibilities. The study recommends better support for women academic leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wasta, the informal network context omnipresent in the Middle East, is widespread in human resource management (HRM) practices. Yet, its influence on the behaviour of HR managers has not been explored. Utilizing relational gatekeeping theory and the informal network perspective in conjunction with in-depth expert interviews with HR managers, we seek to explore whether and how informal networks (wasta) influence and shape their role in an Arab Middle Eastern context. Our findings indicate that the level of wasta penetration in organizations is reliant on the relational gatekeeping behaviours of HR managers. Furthermore, we show how HR managers compensate for structural deficiencies by leveraging their wasta-derived power to amplify their voices. Nevertheless, the findings also emphasize the significance of power sharing in reducing the expansion of culturally derived power associated with wasta, thereby limiting power dynamics and authority to that derived from the formal organizational hierarchy. These insights advance knowledge on gatekeeping behaviour in the Arab Middle Eastern context and contribute new knowledge regarding the operational modes of informal networks within organizations. Our findings underscore the pivotal role that HR managers play in shaping the organizational culture. From a practical perspective, we offer actionable solutions, such as power sharing through committee work, to enhance the effectiveness of the HR function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents findings about social work leadership from a formative dialogue research project following an ongoing service development project in a Norwegian social services office. From observation of team meetings and individual interviews with the leader and middle managers the study contributes to research on the meaning of social work leadership when changes are made within an organization. Traditional leadership theories often focus on individual leadership qualities, grounded in binaries of leaders and followers, but this study’s findings support newer theoretical approaches that underscore the importance of approaching leadership within a social constructivist framework, highlighting the processual and relational aspects of leadership. The study adds to the call for more qualitative studies that capture the complexity of social work leadership. One particular finding in this regard is narrativity as a promising approach for the understanding of leadership as co-production between stakeholders. The study has implications for both practice and education, as it is relevant for understanding leadership issues in social work contexts, which should to a greater extent be a topic in social work education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence suggests that the effectiveness of a school's operations is determined not by a single leader, but by a community of leaders. Middle managers can coordinate processes in formal positions and lead informal groups, facilitating the realisation of leadership goals. This study utilises a large-scale survey to analyse middle managers' perceptions of organisational learning and discuss their additional supporting roles and responsibilities considering organisational-level contingency variables in a centralised education system (Hungary). How can middle management function in a centralised educational system? How can it act as a 'bridge' and support organisational and individual learning? Our findings reveal that middle managers perceive leadership similarly to school staff (i.e. in terms of learning organisational behaviour), while principals' perceptions significantly differ. The study examined teachers' perceptions of organisational learning in various positions according to school size and type. It was found that middle managers play a more prominent role in smaller schools compared to larger ones, as they are more likely to utilise their strategic role in contexts with a more cohesive community. These findings suggest that the function of middle management should be better exploited in larger organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the status of Information Security Management in Faculty Libraries at Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran. This study is based on the standard of ISO/IEC 27,002. Method: The research method is a descriptive survey. Data was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire based on the ISO/IEC standard 27,002 which includes 11 main indicators and 39 sub-components. The statistical population of this study is 45 main and middle managers of faculties' libraries of Allameh Tabatabai University located in Tehran (Faculties of Law, Psychology and Educational Sciences, Management and Accounting, Physical Education, Literature and Foreign Languages, Communication Sciences, Economics, Social Sciences, Mathematical and Computer Sciences). Due to the limited statistical population, sampling was not performed. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, inferential, and SPSS software. Findings: The average score of information security management performance in the faculty libraries of Allameh Tabatabaei University located in Tehran according to ISO/IEC27002 is above average. Examination of the average scores of performance evaluation indicators of faculty libraries of Allameh Tabatabai University showed that four indicators including Information Security Management Policy, Information Security Incident Management, Cryptography, and Security Supplier Relationships are not in a favorable situation and need attention from the relevant managers. In other indicators, the performance of faculty libraries is at the desired level. Conclusion: The results show a desirable level of information security management in the faculty libraries of Allameh Tabatabai in Tehran. However, some indicators, such as Information Security Policies, Information Security Incident Management, Cryptography, and Supplier Relationships, are still weaker. Therefore, to achieve security goals some suggestions are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the dynamic interaction of strategic alliances (SA) on innovation (IN), product development (PD) and organisational performance (OP) in the Indian small and medium enterprises sector. Three empirical studies (Study 1: N = 170; Study 2: N = 185; Study 3: N = 200) were conducted to test the impact of SA on IN, PD and OP. The questionnaire was distributed to the top- and middle-level managers in Indian SMEs. Furthermore, we applied regression and correlation analysis to explore the relationship between our study variables. The result of Study 1 indicates that there is a significant relationship between SA and IN. In addition, resource integration (RI) plays a significant mediator role between SA and IN. The result of Study 2 indicates that there is a positive impact of SA on PD. In contrast, knowledge sharing (KS) has an insignificant effect on the relationship between SA and PD. The result of Study 3 reveals that there is a positive impact of IN, sustainability (SU) and environmental factors (EF) on OP. This study provides a critical and practical contribution to SA by examining the impact of SA on the organisational performance development processes (IN, PD and OP). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK Creative Industries provide meaningful employment to more than two million people (Creative Industries Council, 2022) with opportunities for self-actualisation and satisfaction beyond what many jobs can provide. This is so particularly within the television industry where, since 2015, new streaming services have massively expanded demand for content and consequently employment. Such opportunities, however, have been heavily dependent upon a freelance workforce, whose experience is often characterised by financial insecurity, poor work-life balance, and lack of coherent career structure or support, within a system that predicates against diversity. This article sets out to address some of these issues and their solutions by offering, and problematising, the concept of 'The Good Manager in TV'. In 2021 the authors followed-up an earlier survey of management practices in unscripted TV production across the UK with a series of in-depth interviews with individuals who, in another context, would be characterised as 'middle managers'. Our data suggests that the challenges faced by the would-be good manager in TV can seem overwhelming, evoking the predicament of Brecht's Good Person of Szechwan. Yet it also points to solutions to those challenges. This article reviews our findings in order to answer the following questions: What does it mean to be a good manager in the volatile, project-based, context of TV production? What are the challenges faced by those who aspire to fill the role? How can such challenges be addressed across this evolving creative industry? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serving in an interim leadership role can be a great way to gain experience, but can also be stressful, negative, or traumatic for interim library leaders at the middle management level. In this exploratory mixed-methods study, researchers conducted a national survey and semistructured interviews of interim middle managers from public and academic libraries to explore the personal and professional impact of their interim role and recommend ways to improve the interim experience. The study revealed effects on individual well-being such as increased stress, but also increased confidence and positive career outcomes, particularly for librarians with a prior interest in leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to shortage in workforce and difficulties in recruiting social and health-care managers, it is crucial to investigate and develop the work well-being of managers. The existing evidence mostly concerns clinical contexts in social and health-care. We studied work well-being through the following categories: (1) individual factors, (2) social factors, (3) professional support from the manager, (4) work-related factors, and (5) organizational factors. The study aims to investigate (1) management levels, (2) years of experience in management, and (3) professional groups that are connected to their work well-being in these categories. We conducted a survey (N = 281) and formed logistic regression models to answer the research questions. Working as an upper-level manager, having more than 26 years of managerial experience, and working as a physician or in a group 'other' are factors that are positively connected to work wellbeing. While in the middle of one's managerial career (6–25 years) or working as a nurse manager is negatively connected to work well-being. This study produces specific knowledge to understand the factors connected to social and health-care managers' work well-being and to identify those groups that are at a risk of experiencing poor well-being at work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Department heads are central in the university setting as an important buffer between university leadership and academic staff. However, taking on a middle management role can lead to significant disruptions in academic careers. To investigate the career trajectories of 31 academics in middle management roles, two waves of semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2015–16 (N = 31) and 2021 (N = 26). By exploring (dis)continuity in academic careers and (dis)engagement with participants' managerial roles, we identified four types of trajectories that appeared to influence participants' possibilities of future academic career development. We labelled these trajectories as follows: temporary managers, early managers, duty-served senior managers, and acclaimed managers. We argue that temporary managers, who are appointed to a fixed-term managerial position early in their academic careers, face the highest risk of disruptions in their academic career development, while duty-served senior managers, who are appointed to a fixed-term managerial position later in their careers, represent the most sustainable group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport and mining companies are vulnerable to a variety of hazards, and this paper offers a novel conceptual framework for organisational resilience assessment at different organisational levels. It is based on a safety climate and performances assessment in companies in the transport and mining sector. The framework contains factor and reliability analysis and continues by applying the SMART method from the perspective of resilience corners: anticipate, monitor, react and learn. The highest resilience coefficients at all organisational levels are obtained regarding safety awareness, safety training and safety communication areas, while the lowest values are observed for risk assessment and the organisational environment. The obtained results indicate that the 'monitor' resilience corner must be improved at all organisational levels, employees trained and procedures changed, since employees do not sufficiently use experience from previous events. The very high values at all organisational levels of the coefficients regarding the 'anticipate' and 'learn' resilience corners indicate organisational adaptation to changes through corrective activities, rather than planned preventive ones. All hierarchical levels have good resilience indicators, except for middle management, which expressed an adequate resilience index, due to the lower ratings of the safety training, organisational commitment, risk assessment and management support areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, many developing countries have launched transfer initiatives to develop their infrastructure, economy, and standard of living because they have not had the knowledge and technical expertise to implement large and complex infrastructure projects. Therefore, scholars have examined the technology transfer process from various perspectives. However, there is still a lack of understating of how access to organisational resources may indirectly relate to the technology transfer process. Thus, the current study aims to address these limitations by examining how firm innovativeness mediates between access to organisational resources and international technology transfer. Based on social exchange theory and using a resource-based view, we aim to assess the potential mediating role of firm innovativeness and the moderating role of cooperative norms. Data were collected from 150 middle and top managers at innovative agricultural companies in Kazakhstan. The results show that firm innovativeness mediates access to organisational resources and technology transfer. Moreover, the moderating role of cooperative norms on the path between firm innovativeness and technology transfer was proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The path to management is difficult for academic librarians without formal supervisory experience, especially in public services. However, little research on how frontline librarians without supervisory experience advance into middle management has been conducted. To determine the extent to which a relationship between certain personal characteristics and librarians' likelihood to advance exists, a survey was administered to public services librarians who had been promoted into middle management within the previous 5 years. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that charismatic presence, long-term thinking, instruction experience, customer service orientation, interpersonal skills, and ability to achieve tenure/promotion in rank contributed to librarians' successful advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how middle managers deal with knowledge inflows whilst striving to achieve ambidexterity. This is enabled through a two-dimensional conceptual framework involving knowledge sources (vertical or horizontal) and acquisition activities (structural and contextual). We based our study upon interviews conducted with 64 managers from hypermarket retailers in China, in addition to field observations and secondary data. Our findings reveal that these middle managers leverage different combinations of structural and contextual mechanisms to govern the vertical (top-down and bottom-up) knowledge inflows within their business units. Structural mechanisms comprise differentiation and integration. For their part, contextual mechanisms consist of a combination of discipline, stretch, support and trust. These combinations also enable horizontal knowledge inflows to be managed from outside the business unit. These also enable middle managers' ambidexterity, first at the business unit level and second at the organization level. Our findings offer managerial guidelines for handling knowledge inflows from various sources and with different patterns. They also assist middle managers with their contribution to their firms' pursuit of organizational ambidexterity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inadequacy of training and support for academic middle managers in the US, UK, and Australia is well documented. What remains unclear is what would make for better professional development. This study fills this gap by investigating what associate deans at US research universities report learning 'on the job'. Drawing on their perspectives and experiences, as documented via semi-structured interviews, this study found that associate deans spend significant time and effort learning how to make administrative decisions, learning how the university works for the purposes of making decisions, learning how to manage people relative to decision-making processes and outcomes, and learning how to manage themselves with regard to their decision-making role. It is argued that professional development for associate deans should focus on administrative decision-making as an essential skill in learning to lead. Recommendations for a curricular framework that can be adapted to individual-, role- and context-specific needs are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to assess the challenges and critical success factors for agile transformation in an Irish manufacturing organisation. Design/methodology – Mixed-methods approaches were used to collect data for this study. A quantitative survey utilising the novel Kano model and qualitative analysis using semi-structured interviews with middle and senior managers were employed as part of a case study. Findings – Critical success factors are identified, analysed and prioritised based on the opinions of members of the organisation studied. The conclusions of this study show that factors such as people, culture, and leadership are critical to agile transformation. The most important components, in particular, are team empowerment, team flexibility, competency development, and creating and communicating a vision. Research limitations/implications – This research focuses on a single-site case study capturing context-specific data from an organisation that recently embarked on an agile transformation. Originality/value – This study bridges the gap between academia and practice by providing valuable insights to guide leaders in their journey to agile transformation. The findings provide new knowledge to leaders and academics concerning the most critical factors for a successful transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructive employee voice is important but challenging to promote in high power distance contexts. The unique and relative importance of HRM systems and leadership in promoting it is more generally little understood. This study investigates the unique and relative importance of a high-performance work system (HPWS) and transformational leadership (TL) for constructive employee voice behavior, as well as how individual-level power distance orientation (PDO) moderates those relationships. The analyses are based on a sample of 403 subordinates of middle managers in 232 domestic Russian organizations. The results show that both TL and HPWS relate positively to employee voice, but most importantly that HPWS is more strongly so related, that it significantly substitutes the relationship between TL and voice, and that the relationship between HPWS and voice is further strengthened by employee PDO. We also conducted post-hoc qualitative interviews with 25 employees in domestic Russian organizations to triangulate our quantitative results. The study contributes to research on employee voice, in particular to research on the relative importance of its antecedents, and to the emerging body of research that simultaneously considers HRM and leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional roles are facing deep transformations in the healthcare sector. Hospitals face role conflict and ambiguity, especially for middle managers who hold both managerial and clinical responsibilities. This work aims at providing the competency profiles of two key managerial roles in hospitals (Clinical Directors and Head of Nurses), so to provide evidence on the characteristics they should have to carry out their role effectively. Through a guided negotiation among members of Italian category associations of middle managers, updated job descriptions were designed for the two key figures. Then, competency profiles were elaborated by applying a competency dictionary specifically designed for managers in the healthcare sector. Only some desirable competencies are common to the two professional figures. This is because their responsibilities overlap only in part, while the distinct features of their specific roles translate directly into distinct key competencies. Training managers in the healthcare sector is challenging due to the hybrid and evolving roles they cover. Nevertheless, it is fundamental to design training pathways which match specific desirable competencies. It is misleading to think that managers need common competencies only, and training pathways should be diversified based on the specific contribution professionals can provide to an organization. This has implications both at the organizational level and at the policy making one, given that managerial training is frequently a joint responsibility of hospitals and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on interviews with key stakeholder groups of social enterprises in Hungary, democratic practices in decision making were seen as important features of social enterprises. However, there were several comments about participatory governance's negative effect on operational efficiency. One of the aims of the paper is to explore this controversial finding from the perspective of leaders of social enterprises. In the theoretical part we summarise the foundations of employee involvement and participation (EIP) in small businesses and social enterprises, and possible explanations of how (EIP) may impact job related flow experiences. Based on the qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with leaders of social enterprises, we propose as a hypothesis the measurement of the impact of participatory practices on flow experiences of employees and volunteers as an effective evaluation criterion for participatory governance. One interesting finding is that compared to other aspects of participation (e.g. strategic decision making and innovation) involvement in HRM practices (especially regarding the role of middle managers) in social enterprises seems to be with the most direct impact on the wellbeing and flow experiences of employees and volunteers that may be interesting for future research also calling for the examination of employees' perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Middle-managers are vital catalysts for organizational innovation, acting as a bridge between organizational strategy and goals set by senior-managers and the actions of lower-level employees. Their proactive motivation to engage in innovative work behavior is therefore central to organizational endeavor. However, the innovation literature is replete with studies focusing solely on organizational-level determinants of middle-managers' innovative behavior while the HRM literature focuses predominantly on the experiences of lower-level employees. Little is known about the psychological factors and processes which give rise to middle-managers innovative work behavior. Drawing on the proactive motivation model, this study examines whether middle-managers' personal initiative mediates the relationship between the four dimensions of their psychological empowerment and their innovative work behaviors. Drawing on a sample of 110 middle-manager–supervisor dyads, our study highlights personal initiative as the mechanism through which psychological empowerment influences innovative work behaviors. Our work further informs the HR literature about how HR practices and systems may be used to foster middle manager proactivity in the workplace. In total, our study seeks to take a step towards reducing the dearth in knowledge on the psychological determinants of middle-managers' innovative work behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experience of academic library middle managers is largely unexamined in the LIS literature, even though middle managers oftentimes function as change agents, succession planners, and project initiators and therefore make significant contributions to organizational success. This qualitative, interview-based study examines how middle managers in collection management or technical services departments experience "leading from the middle" and how they perceive their growth, development, and current roles as leaders. Over the course of ten interviews, significant themes emerged, including: initiating or implementing change; professional relationships with colleagues at all hierarchical levels; organizational culture; and professional development and institutional support for learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disruptive student behavior is a significant challenge in schools and a predictor of student failure. Effective classroom management is a crucial skill that middle level teachers must acquire to foster student engagement and learning. This qualitative study explored the experiences and perceptions of 35 middle level teachers in both general education and special education settings regarding effective classroom management techniques. Eight focus group interviews were conducted with 25 general education teachers and 10 special education teachers at one of five middle schools in Kansas, Missouri, or Utah. Focus group transcripts were analyzed using iterative qualitative content analysis to identify themes and subthemes. Findings revealed that effective classroom management includes teachers' use of appropriate positive and negative reinforcement, student buy-in to reward systems, positive immediate feedback to students, teachers' consistent follow-through with consequences, and positive teacher-student relationships. We also report similarities and differences between middle level general education and special education teachers' perceptions. Limitations and areas for future research are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) promise both emancipation and loss: freedom from workplace constraints also strips away protective work-life boundaries. To date, very little is understood about how flexible work shapes workplace imaginaries. Drawing on a sample of 44 managers from a Middle Eastern firm, we explore their evolving internal representations of the workplace and domestic space under (in)flexible conditions. Findings suggest that (in)flexible work arrangements fashion and amplify subjective, organizational, and gender-specific workplace imaginaries. While both genders in this study imagined the workplace as a site of 'salvation,' it became a haven from domestic labor for the women, while for the men it provided a crucial extension of individual managerial identity. Such distinctions provide glimpses into how (in)flexible scenarios influence and shape neoliberal workplace imaginaries that may sustain gendered career trajectories and the perpetuation of FWAs as a misleading panacea for individual freedom and happiness in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In organizations, paradoxical tensions exist and can have an impact at each managerial level. Building upon a multi-level lens, this research aims to investigate the underlying paradoxical perceptions of innovation and change at different managerial levels in a Jordanian bank case study. Using a qualitative approach, 'nuanced interpretations' were explored, yielding fresh insights. The findings suggest the contradictions and complexities of external environmental changes, demonstrating that senior managers are constantly battling to manage change. Middle managers are split into two groups: those who value change and those who prefer traditional methods. While operational managers recognize the importance of change, it is not as critical as following rules and procedures. This study contributes to the concept of paradox theory by revealing contradictions throughout an organization's hierarchy and adding to the body of knowledge on formalized organizations by identifying how contradictions emerge in practice. Further, it contributes to managerial practice by revealing how organizational contradictions and tensions stymie change and paves the way for future research. MAD statement This study aims to Make a Difference (MAD) by exploring the underlying paradoxical perceptions of change at various managerial levels, with an emphasis on perceived contradictions as part of organizational change. Building on evidence from a case study of a highly formalized organization. This study focuses on research investigating paradoxes and contradictions in change processes, which laid the groundwork for analyzing previously obscured organizational paradoxes and contradictions. To that purpose, this study shifts the basis of paradox and contradiction to the perspectives of participants, adding to managerial practice by illuminating how organizational contradictions can inhibit change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The middle manager in hospitals in the Netherlands is responsible for the provision of high-quality care that fits the allocated budget. Recently, he also had to implement austerity measures because the cost of healthcare has grown faster than the economy. This paper deals with the competences, knowledge and skills the middle manager should have in order to be able to deal with budget limitations. We conducted semi- structured interviews with 30 middle managers, 10 health professionals and one business controller, spread out over different hospital types and locations throughout the Netherlands and organized two focus group meetings. We identify two new roles for the middle manager in what we call the 'modern' professional bureaucracy: the roles of 'sense maker' and 'connector'. Hospital organizations have become flatter with more emphasis on horizontal flows and they have a growing technostructure. The number and variety of external signals for any department has increased. The middle manager has to explain the implications of external signals and is the connector between professionals and employees inside and outside the hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social construction of gender has led to differences in beliefs, knowledge, experiences, or networks between women and men. Some argue that mixed gender teams can show perform better. However, empirical research at the firm level has provided mixed evidence. Moreover, these studies mainly focus on the board of directors or top management teams. Few have examined how middle management and staff levels affect firm performance. These levels form the operational layers that execute the business strategy and run daily operations. Using a unique dataset of 159 large French firms, we find that gender diversity at the two organisational levels positively impacts a firm's economic performance and contributes to its competitiveness. Gender diversity at these levels is a strategic resource that provides a sustainable competitive advantage by creating value and cannot be easily imitated by competitors quickly. We also find a nonlinear relationship due to a threshold effect related to a critical mass condition, and a hat-shaped relationship (two flat borders around the top) between gender diversity and firm performance. Specifically, firms with balanced diversity (between 40 and 60% women as employees) at the middle management and staff levels tend to be more profitable. Finally, predominantly male firms have similar performance to predominantly female firms, and that balanced-gender diversity is the real contributing factor to firm performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Implementing methodical co-creation as a new norm or social innovation in disability services takes more than regulatory policy steering or just delegating the change leadership mandate to first-line managers (FLMs). First, motivating and empowering FLMs requires sensemaking that is grounded in asset-based and sense-of-coherence approaches that both recognize and disturb their situated service narrative. Facilitated collective dialogues that are based on deep listening and salutogenic approach may help promote change towards the co-creative service culture. Second, pathological narratives that weaken FLMs' motivation and perceived abilities may be gradually transformed to instead empower them for change leadership. The authors analysed an ongoing service culture change in a strategically selected case. They illustrate how sensemaking can help to engender cultural change and, specifically, what sensemaking formats, approaches and strategies can have a transformative impact on first-line managers' narrative. The article contributes to the literature with insights on leadership through sensemaking and how public bodies can act as 'intelligent organizations' to enhance service co-creation. In addition, the authors show how an action researcher can complement a middle manager in change leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While leadership is one of the most discussed concepts in the social sciences, there is a need for more scholarly research that examines the ambiguous leadership position of middle managers, and how their leadership work is perceived in practice. In this article, we follow the recent research turn of adopting a social constructionist view of leadership, and make use of metaphors to answer the following research question: how are middle managers in the public sector managing the expectations and demands from both top management and subordinates, and what are some of its consequences? We study this in the public sector, a context of particular importance but one that has often been neglected in previous research. Through a qualitative in-depth case study, based on observations, interviews, and organizational documents, our findings show that middle managers were trapped in the way they moved between being constructed as a leader and a follower, along what we call a leader-follower pendulum, and in the way they enacted two different leadership metaphors: the buddy and the commander. These aspects jointly contribute to a complex and ambiguous situation for middle managers, which in turn gives rise to alienation and the constant strive to fit in, something that we metaphorically refer to as "karma chameleon." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much research is concerned with the contribution of middle-level management in the education system. Yet, little research has been devoted to investigating supervisors' considerations in outlining job definitions of middle-level managers, and how these elements shape diverse middle-level managers' leadership models. This study draws on role theory to understand supervisors' contribution to the design of middle-level management roles, with emphasis on leadership styles. Data included 25 interviews with preschool superintendents who appointed new middle-level managers in the role of early childhood leaders. Based on the interviews, we identified four types of middle-level leadership models: pedagogical, supportive, change, and administrative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the challenges faced by aged care providers in the public sector and the need to improve the skills and capabilities of middle managers in order to build a sustainable workforce. The authors argue that current research on the aged care workforce primarily focuses on direct care workers, neglecting the role of middle managers. They emphasize the importance of middle managers in bringing about organizational change and improving staff satisfaction and care outcomes. The article also highlights the need for further research on the motivation, retention, engagement, capacity building, and career pathways of both clinical and non-clinical middle managers in aged care. The authors suggest that a combination of clinical and non-clinical leadership may be beneficial in managing the business of care while maximizing clinical outcomes. [Extracted from the article]

The aim of this study is to map the process involved in terminating a long-standing business relationship in a public context. It employed an exploratory study to interview 35 politicians, senior- and middle managers, ambulance- and dispatch centre staff and representatives of a regional alliance of patients. Growing criticism from a county council towards a contractor ended in a decision to bring services back in-house. However, terminating the contract failed and instead a state of quasi-backsourcing emerged. Only parts of the services were taken back in-house, with few reported benefits. The study suggests that caution is needed in relation to backsourcing services from a closely intertwined contractor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisations design performance evaluation systems to obtain desired work outcomes. This study analyses how subjective performance evaluation (SPE), a specific type of performance evaluation, is related to managerial work outcomes—turnover intention, organisational identification, and performance. To this end, we consider two possible mechanisms: feedback quality and trust in the supervisor. Moreover, we also consider whether adding objective performance measures to SPE alters these relationships. Based on questionnaire responses from 751 top executives and middle managers in small and medium enterprises, we find that SPE is negatively related to feedback quality, but this effect is mitigated when SPE is used jointly with objective performance measures. SPE is not directly related to trust in the supervisor when feedback quality is also considered in the analysis because the two mechanisms are inter-related—we find a positive relationship between feedback quality and trust in the supervisor. Both mechanisms are negatively related to turnover intention, but only trust in the supervisor is positively related to organisational identification. Finally, both turnover intention and organisational identification are positively related to performance. Our findings suggest that companies using SPE can improve work outcomes by adding objective performance measures to their performance evaluation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study is to identify and classify future research suggestions of Lean Management (LM) which are related to human resources (HR) aspects. Based on a systematic literature review (SLR) of peer reviewed journal articles in LM, a total of 147 articles published in 35 journals during, 2016–2020 by four major management science publishers were collected. The LM-HR future research suggestions identified in the literature were classified into themes through applying the 'affinity diagram' which then were prioritised through the 'Pareto diagram'. An increase in the number of articles with LM-HR future research suggestions is observed during the review period and the study highlights the need for considerable attention to be paid to future suggestions related to training, managerial, cultural and performance aspects of LM. Classification of themes reveals five broad theme categories, namely 'top and middle management', 'employees', 'work features', 'LM implementation and results' and 'national and organisational culture'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I propose that the work of middle managers can meaningfully be conceptualized as a form of liminal work herby drawing attention to the interstitial (spatial) and temporary (temporal) elements of organizing and work. Building on a case study of emerging middle management positions within schools in Denmark, I show that working 'in' the middle is demarcated by entanglements of spatio-temporalities and other discourse-materialities producing a liminal friction that reconfigures this work as permanently liminal. Inspired by new materialism and the work of Karen Barad, I utilize the concept of spacetimemattering to analytically unpack these work practices that materialize in and through multiple times and spaces and matter and thereby elucidate the constitutive processes and performative effects of the ambiguous work of middle managers. To this end, the article offers an analytical understanding that expands a focus on hierarchical forms of organizing as a core issue of ambiguity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Designing an Organizational Innovation Model with an Emphasis on the Approach of Lean Human Resources Management: The Case of Selected Municipalities of Mazandaran province. Methodology From a methodology point of view, this is a qualitative study, which is grounded theory and classified data were collected through interviewing the experts who agreed to participate in this research and were familiar with the topic including faculties in organizational innovation field and chief officers of selected municipalities of Mazandaran province. Findings The results showed that the organizational innovation model with an emphasis on lean human resources management approach has 156 indicators and 8 subcategories along with the lean innovation capabilities category, these subcategories are: lean human resources recruitment, supply and adjustment system, Lean human resource improvement system, lean human resource maintenance system, lean human resource application system, utilization of technology, organizational culture, organizational structure and policies and programs. In the following, all the dimensions, components and indicators of the three main dimensions are described; The enablers of lean innovation, the facilitators of lean innovation and the capabilities of lean innovation were summarized and purified. Research limitations/implications In the practical context, the results of the study can provide clear messages for the senior and middle managers of such organizations, so that based on those findings, they can formulate detailed operational plans with the aim of increasing internal innovations and also empowering their human resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intra-organizational change process involving all middle managers was studied in a public sector organization in Sweden over three time points, spanning two years in total. Using sensemaking and the person-environmental fit literature as well studies on promotion and demotion, hypotheses about the effects of managerial status loss and being offered a non-preferred role (non-preference) on change reactions (job satisfaction, turnover intentions, mental health) are made. Data from 140 middle managers was analyzed with path models, where two process factors (perceived organizational support during the change, procedural justice of the change) and two job characteristics (job demand, job control) were tested simultaneously as mediators. Results revealed that managerial status loss had negative effects on work attitudes but mental health was positively affected over time through decreased job demands. Non-preference had negative consequences for all outcome variables and these effects were mediated through lower procedural justice of the change, lower job control, and for some outcomes, lower perceived organizational support during the change. The results provide insight into how middle managers react to change, and suggest that process justice and job characteristics play an important part in shaping these reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organization of construction in the People's Republic of China has over recent decades undergone radical restructuring. The announcement of Deng Xiaoping's Open Door strategy in 1978 marked the beginning of the transition towards the espoused socialist market economy and the progressive introduction of market mechanisms. Existing research tends to focus on the derivation of "critical success factors" rather than the lived realities of those directly involved. In contrast, the current paper adopts a sensemaking perspective that privileges the transient roles and identities of those involved in the micro-processes of project organizing. The empirical focus lies on the sensemaking narratives of middle managers within three state-owned construction enterprises in the Chongqing city region. The findings illustrate how market mechanisms such as bidding and tendering play out in complex ways involving hybrid arrangements between new and pre-existing ways of working. The terminology of project management is seen to have played a performative role in establishing the "project" as the essential unit around which the socialist market is organized. Middle managers are further found to maintain multiple identities in response to the experienced paradoxes of the socialist market economy. The research provides new insights into the micro-processes of project organizing in China with broader implications for transitional economies elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multiple case study investigates internal crisis communication in Finnish and Norwegian hotels and restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing a Nordic leadership perspective to the research area. Due to the exploratory nature of the study, a qualitative research design was chosen, and 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with hospitality leaders, middle managers, and employees. The multilevel analysis revealed that existing internal communication practices were challenged due to the urgency and uncertainty of the crisis. The findings show that managerial transparency and presence facilitated sensemaking processes and contributed to trust in the managers. Yet, limited autonomy among middle managers and lack of employee consultation when communicating about decision-making indicated a conflict between internal crisis communication and aspects of Nordic leadership such as cooperation, consensus-seeking, and delegation of responsibility. However, the findings suggest that the openness and transparency of Nordic leadership prevailed in the crisis and contributed to managerial learning and solution-finding through crisis communication and management. Furthermore, leaders should find a balance between control and participation when communicating about internal decision-making during a crisis. We conclude that transparency and participative communication are essential when striving for effective internal crisis communication, facilitating employees' sensemaking, and building trust relationships during a crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic organizational changes in the higher education sector are costly and resource intensive but considered crucial for the longevity and feasibility of organizations in this sector. Faced with major reforms of government-imposed funding, pressures from internationalization, digitalization and globalization, many Higher Educational Institutions had to reconsider governance, organizational structures and the roles and responsibilities of actors. The purpose of the empirical qualitative research study was to investigate the professional middle managers' strategising practices to effect strategic change. The study context was a South African higher education institution undergoing substantial organizational change due to an institutional restructuring. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to describe participants' cognitive, emotional, and physical nature which confirmed six holistic and comprehensive strategising practices namely adapting, effecting change, collaborating, mobilizing, peacekeeping and overseeing. The findings confirmed that strategising practices were not the result of actions only but were also influenced by cognitive, rational, and emotional experiences. MAD statement Change is difficult for everyone, but even more so for middle managers who are not only strategy implementors but also recipients of change. Findings provide insight to how middle managers handle change contexts in which changes are multiple and overlapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide a better understanding of tourism and hospitality management through exploring the perceptions of and the application of emotional intelligence (EI) in the practices of managers. The effect of EI on improving business performance is widely acknowledged in business and management studies. However, there is limited research in the context of tourism and hospitality industries. The paper contributes to the literature through a qualitative study of the perceptions and experiences of middle-level managers. Data was collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted in tourism and hospitality organisations in the UK. The findings of the study reveal that EI can have a positive contribution to improving staff satisfaction, motivation and overall business productivity. They highlight the importance of building quality relationships among staff and the critical role middle management has in an organisation. Based on the finding from the qualitative inquiry, the authors propose a model conceptualising the role of managers' EI in creating a competitive advantage for the organisation. Practical implications are discussed and recommendations for further research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite widespread interest in the leadership and establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs), the ethical dimension may be overlooked. This article examines, in a Norwegian context, how principals have to deal with different sorts of ethical dilemmas in leading professional learning communities. The study aimed to investigate the leadership strategies and interventions that principals implemented in professional learning communities and the nature of ethical dilemmas that were apparent in establishing a professional collective culture. Participants were from two different schools, both of which had challenging environments. Data were collected through observations and interviews with the principals (including follow-up interviews after a year had passed), middle managers, two groups of teachers and two groups of students in the two schools, and also with a district-level representative. In total, 15 interviews were conducted with 41 informants. Data were analysed qualitatively. Analysis suggested that establishing a professional learning community, building on an inclusive ethos, pedagogical collaboration and democratic leadership are all important strategies. Leadership practices were anchored in an ethical perspective that emphasised responsibility not only for personal morality but for the enhancement of civic moral education that leads to self-knowledge and community awareness. This research draws attention to how school leadership, especially in challenging environments, is closely connected to the democratic purpose of the school. Ethical thinking and decision-making can be developed in discussions between leaders at school and district level and between leaders and teachers in the learning communities in the school. To lead such discussions, school leaders should increase their knowledge and understanding of ethical decision making, which can help develop their own ethical leadership practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organisational literature has overlooked the diversity of change agents' psychological ownership experiences in the context of major (or second-order) change. The present study addressed this lacuna. The study used the case study method and focused on six Israeli state-religious schools, which adopted a new liberal curriculum. Thirty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted with six principals and 25 teachers (middle-level managers and educators). Analysis of the findings revealed the types of psychological ownership that change agents experience (ownership by process, by interest, and by means); two main components of the agents' psychological ownership (accountability and territoriality); and three perceived types of sharing associated with ownership (active, passive, and defensive). The implications of the findings are discussed. Building on a real case study of major change in public schools, the paper describes the varieties of psychological ownership during change implementation. Committed change agents can have different types of ownership experiences, different drives that make them accountable to the change at hand, different territorial outlooks, and different sharing orientations. Three ideal types of psychological ownership experiences are suggested and practitioners can use them to diagnose organisational dynamics and intervene in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As with other parts of the public sector, policing has had to confront the principles and processes attached to new public management. This paper examines the impact of police performance management on the 'occupational professionalism' of British policing actors with a particular focus on organisational units concerned with criminal investigation. Based on qualitative empirical research on two major police forces in England and Wales, the paper arrives at three main conclusions. First, there appears to be a clear impact of police performance management, with its instruments of standardised operational procedures, performance monitoring and strengthened internal accountability, on the professional autonomy given to police actors. This takes the form of what others have seen as a shift from 'occupational professionalism' to 'organisational professionalism'. Second, despite this overall trend, tensions and professional rivalries remain between police frontline officers, supervisors and middle managers around the perceived virtues and practices of performance management. In particular concerns are expressed at various levels over the dangers of 'short-termism' in police decision-making. Third, and building on this finding, varied modes of professional adaptation to the police performance regime have occurred in which some sectors, notably those involved with high profile serious criminal investigations, have worked to win professional space and exploit a hierarchy of prestige in order to actively interpret and shape agendas. We conclude that this situation is akin to the 'managed professionalism' found amongst many other public service professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership makes or breaks a lean transformation while mismanagement at the middle management level is likely to impede lean sustainability in particular. Although the role of leadership is widely acknowledged in lean, the middle management role remains fragmented in the literature with a limited focus to date. Taking this into account, the purpose of this paper is to gain a holistic view of the middle management role in lean and its influence on organisational transformation. An integrated literature review methodology was adopted to develop an integrated, conceptual model of the middle management role in lean. The results demonstrate that middle managers are protagonists in lean evolution and indispensable for sustainable success. In acting as cultural change agents, middle managers promote continuous improvement and conduce the transition towards a lean organisation through managerial push and soft lean evolvement, shaping and maintaining a continuous improvement-orientated culture by engaging, inspiring and enthusing the wider workforce. The integrative literature review contributes with a six-point integrative, conceptual model of the middle management role in lean, including policy deployment, leader standard work, continuous improvement promotion, self-development, coaching and gemba walks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]