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Making strategy work: The role of the middle manager

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  • Jansen Van Rensburg, Mari
  • Davis, Annemarie
  • Venter, Peet

Abstract

In recognition of middle managers as influential strategists we collected 654 responses from South African middle managers detailing their spontaneous and unguided descriptions of their strategic roles in the organisation they represent. The results show that middle managers generally associate their strategic role strongly with the traditional perspectives on the roles as implementers of strategies and communicators linking their subordinates and higher levels of management. We add the roles of ‘advocacy’ and ‘improving operational performance’ to the conventional elements of strategy implementation, and the roles of ‘managing performance’ and ‘driving compliance’ to the role of downward influence. Focus group discussions contextualised and authenticated these roles within the South African private and public sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • Jansen Van Rensburg, Mari & Davis, Annemarie & Venter, Peet, 2014. "Making strategy work: The role of the middle manager," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(2), pages 165-186, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jomorg:v:20:y:2014:i:02:p:165-186_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Tiziana Callari & Corinne Bieder & Barry Kirwan, 2019. "What is it like for a middle manager to take safety into account? Practices and challenges," Post-Print hal-01935746, HAL.
    2. Li, Peng-Yu, 2018. "Top management team characteristics and firm internationalization: The moderating role of the size of middle managers," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 125-138.
    3. Fawad Sadiq & Tasweer Hussain & Afshan Naseem & Muhammad Zeeshan Mirza & Ahsan Ali Syed, 2022. "The pursuit of disruptive innovations by middle managers: effects of the firm’s customer orientation and mastery achievement goals," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 551-581, February.

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