Who Are The Middle Managers: A Semi-Structured Literature Review

This paper represents a semi-structured literature review on middle managers. With more than 2,600 articles published since 1956 on this topic, conceptualized from various angles and disciplines, this approach was the most suitable considering the volume of research focused on middle managers. The research question is broad: how has research on middle managers developed over time? The study observes that interest in middle managers is growing, with the number of articles published in 2023 reaching the highest level ever: 330 papers. This is 4.4 times higher than all-time research done on this stream. The dominant theme is the role of middle managers: what that role is, what it should be, what influences it, and how it transforms under constant systemic changes starting in the 1980s. The seminal work is built around the strategic contribution of middle managers. Other themes such as processes, identity, and innovation are also present, offering rich perspectives on this fragile, undervalued, and miscast resource. The current state of research shows that while interest is evident, existing knowledge lacks coherence and cumulative impact. Future research has many opportunities to add knowledge because middle managers represent the structures in hierarchical organizations, and their role continues to evolve along with organizations.