Abstract Problem: Leadership studies have mostly concerned top management. However, as many researchers suggest, middle management has a great impact on the success of an organization, especially in change when they need to take on the role as a leader. Successful leaders motivate employees, and within the public sector they need to use non-financial means. In addition, the publicsector’s management is perceived to be insufficient. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe the middle managers role in a public sector organization and how they motivate their employees. Method: In order to answer our purpose, we have chosen to use a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with six middle managers and six employees at three different local offices of Arbetsförmedlingen, in Jönköping County. Interviewing about leadership may cause discomfort providing honest answers, why full anonymity to all respondents has been applied. Result: In this thesis we have come to the conclusions that the middle management at AF should be named middle leaders as they use their leadership skills rather than management skills to achieve the organization’s goals. They motivate their employees by providing continuous feedback and recognition, and providing autonomy and a sense of importance through empowerment. We have further found that middle leaders are a vital resource for any organization, especially during change.

Organisationer har flera chefsnivåer, på en av dessa befinner sig mellanchefen, även kallad linjechef. I stora drag innebär denna roll ett ansvar över personal på operativ nivå samt ansvar att implementera ledningens beslut. Då vi i litteratur och i tidigare genomförda studier funnit att rollen som mellanchef kan vara påfrestande, då speciellt i offentlig sektor, är det av vårt intresse att undersöka arbetsförhållanden för mellanchefer med fokus på personalhantering.Denna studie syftar till att svara på hur mellanchefer på sjukhus upplever och ser på hantering av konflikter. Genom djupintervjuer av ett antal avdelningschefer har en kvalitativ undersökning genomförts. Utifrån det insamlade materialet kan tre centrala slutsatser urskiljas. Konfliktbegreppet kan vara svårdefinierat då problemsituationer uppfattas olika. Konflikter på arbetsplatsen kan vara stagnerande, men hanteras dem kan de leda till utveckling för både gruppen och individen. Dessutom kan mellanchefers position vara särskilt utsatt på grund av det rådande korstrycket och en upplevelse av rollkonflikt mellan kamratrollen och ledarrollen. / There are levels of management in organisations, one of these is middle management, also known as line management. In broad terms, this role means a responsibility over staff at the operational level and implementation of executive decisions. As we have found in literature and previous studies, that being a middle manager can be stressful, especially in the public sector, it is our interest to study working conditions for middle managers with a focus on human resource management.This study aims to answer how middle managers in hospitals experience and perceive conflict management. Through interviews with department heads, a qualitative study was conducted. Based on the collected material, three major conclusions can be distinguished. Conflict as a concept may be difficult to define as problematic situations can be perceived differently. Workplace conflict can come to a standstill, but if managed, they can lead to development for both group and individual. In addition, the position of middle managers is found to be particularly vulnerable because of the current cross-pressure and an experience of role conflict between the companion role and leadership role.

<p>Abstract</p><p>Problem: Leadership studies have mostly concerned top management. However, as many researchers suggest, middle management has a great impact on the success of an organization, especially in change when they need to take on the role as a leader. Successful leaders motivate employees, and within the public sector they need to use non-financial means. In addition, the publicsector’s management is perceived to be insufficient.</p><p>Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe the middle managers role in a public sector organization and how they motivate their employees.</p><p>Method: In order to answer our purpose, we have chosen to use a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with six middle managers and six employees at three different local offices of Arbetsförmedlingen, in Jönköping County. Interviewing about leadership may cause discomfort providing honest answers, why full anonymity to all respondents has been applied.</p><p>Result: In this thesis we have come to the conclusions that the middle management at AF should be named middle leaders as they use their leadership skills rather than management skills to achieve the organization’s goals. They motivate their employees by providing continuous feedback and recognition, and providing autonomy and a sense of importance through empowerment.</p><p>We have further found that middle leaders are a vital resource for any organization, especially during change.</p>

Este trabalho objetivou compreender e elucidar a aplicabilidade da noção de liderança na Gerência Média nas agências da Regional Caxias do Sul do Banco Delta, liderança esta que pode ser de pessoas, de negócios ou de processos, para os resultados da empresa. Para tanto, em um estudo de caso qualitativo, levantou-se a visão destes gerentes com relação ao mercado bancário para a necessidade de liderança (fatores do ambiente bancário que favorecem tal atitude e ainda quais os fatores que desfavorecem o exercício da liderança); como o Banco Delta apresenta a necessidade de liderança para sua Gerência Média e se existe espaço para atuação como líder, proporcionado pelo Banco ou mesmo através de sua própria iniciativa. Através de entrevistas, de pesquisa a documentos internos e de observação, procurou-se identificar situações do dia a dia que retratam a atuação desses Gerentes, bem como conhecer as condições das agências. Os questionamentos e as observações também foram dirigidos aos superiores (Gerentes Gerais) e subordinados (escriturários) do público pesquisado, haja vista que estes profissionais igualmente fazem parte deste processo de atuação da Gerência Média. Como principais resultados tem-se que as agências pesquisadas são grandes, com ótimos potenciais de negócios e um grande número de funcionários, o que indica que os setores internos necessitam de uma liderança localizada, não dependendo apenas do Gerente Geral. Os negócios acontecem nas carteiras, nos setores, e sem esta liderança o atingimento dos objetivos fica comprometido. Observou-se a existência de espaço para tal exercício, mesmo diante de alguns argumentos de demandas urgentes quanto a vendas, com desafios diários, metas pontuais na semana ou cobranças exageradas. Os perfis de cada gerente determinam o tamanho e a qualidade desta liderança. São, contudo, desfavoráveis ao exercício da liderança as mudanças repentinas de foco, com desafios “relâmpago” e cobranças “intradia”, o que retira parte do planejamento já elaborado pela agência e pelo setor. / This study aimed to understand and clarify the applicability of the concept of leadership in the Middle Management in the Caxias do Sul Regional branches of Banco Delta. This leadership might include people, businesses or processes for the results of the company. Therefore, a qualitative case study was carried out to investigate the vision of these managers regarding the banking market, the need of leadership (the banking environment factors that favor such an attitude and also which factors are against the exercise of leadership); How Banco Delta presents the need for leadership to their Middle Management; and also whether there is room for acting as a leader, provided by Banco Delta or through their own initiative. Through interviews, research of internal documents and observations, we sought to identify situations of everyday life that depict the performance of these managers, as well as to know the conditions of the agencies. The questions and observations were also directed to superiors (General Managers) and subordinates (clerks) of the researched public, given that these professionals are also part of this process of Middle Management performance. The main results are that the agencies surveyed are large, with great business potential and a large number of employees, which indicates that internal sectors need a located leadership, depending not only on the general manager. Business happens in the portfolios, sectors, and without this leadership the achievement of objectives is compromised. It was observed that there is room for such an exercise, despite some arguments that there are urgent demands as sales, with daily challenges, specific goals in the week, or exaggerated charges. The profiles of each manager determine the size and quality of this leadership. Sudden changes of focus, with "Lightning" challenges and charges "intraday" are, however, unfavorable to the exercise of leadership, which removes part of the planning already prepared by the agency and the sector.

Este trabalho objetivou compreender e elucidar a aplicabilidade da noção de liderança na Gerência Média nas agências da Regional Caxias do Sul do Banco Delta, liderança esta que pode ser de pessoas, de negócios ou de processos, para os resultados da empresa. Para tanto, em um estudo de caso qualitativo, levantou-se a visão destes gerentes com relação ao mercado bancário para a necessidade de liderança (fatores do ambiente bancário que favorecem tal atitude e ainda quais os fatores que desfavorecem o exercício da liderança); como o Banco Delta apresenta a necessidade de liderança para sua Gerência Média e se existe espaço para atuação como líder, proporcionado pelo Banco ou mesmo através de sua própria iniciativa. Através de entrevistas, de pesquisa a documentos internos e de observação, procurou-se identificar situações do dia a dia que retratam a atuação desses Gerentes, bem como conhecer as condições das agências. Os questionamentos e as observações também foram dirigidos aos superiores (Gerentes Gerais) e subordinados (escriturários) do público pesquisado, haja vista que estes profissionais igualmente fazem parte deste processo de atuação da Gerência Média. Como principais resultados tem-se que as agências pesquisadas são grandes, com ótimos potenciais de negócios e um grande número de funcionários, o que indica que os setores internos necessitam de uma liderança localizada, não dependendo apenas do Gerente Geral. Os negócios acontecem nas carteiras, nos setores, e sem esta liderança o atingimento dos objetivos fica comprometido. Observou-se a existência de espaço para tal exercício, mesmo diante de alguns argumentos de demandas urgentes quanto a vendas, com desafios diários, metas pontuais na semana ou cobranças exageradas. Os perfis de cada gerente determinam o tamanho e a qualidade desta liderança. São, contudo, desfavoráveis ao exercício da liderança as mudanças repentinas de foco, com desafios “relâmpago” e cobranças “intradia”, o que retira parte do planejamento já elaborado pela agência e pelo setor. / This study aimed to understand and clarify the applicability of the concept of leadership in the Middle Management in the Caxias do Sul Regional branches of Banco Delta. This leadership might include people, businesses or processes for the results of the company. Therefore, a qualitative case study was carried out to investigate the vision of these managers regarding the banking market, the need of leadership (the banking environment factors that favor such an attitude and also which factors are against the exercise of leadership); How Banco Delta presents the need for leadership to their Middle Management; and also whether there is room for acting as a leader, provided by Banco Delta or through their own initiative. Through interviews, research of internal documents and observations, we sought to identify situations of everyday life that depict the performance of these managers, as well as to know the conditions of the agencies. The questions and observations were also directed to superiors (General Managers) and subordinates (clerks) of the researched public, given that these professionals are also part of this process of Middle Management performance. The main results are that the agencies surveyed are large, with great business potential and a large number of employees, which indicates that internal sectors need a located leadership, depending not only on the general manager. Business happens in the portfolios, sectors, and without this leadership the achievement of objectives is compromised. It was observed that there is room for such an exercise, despite some arguments that there are urgent demands as sales, with daily challenges, specific goals in the week, or exaggerated charges. The profiles of each manager determine the size and quality of this leadership. Sudden changes of focus, with "Lightning" challenges and charges "intraday" are, however, unfavorable to the exercise of leadership, which removes part of the planning already prepared by the agency and the sector.

Denna studie har som syfte att undersöka vilken kompetensutvecklingsektionschefer inom vård och omsorg får i förhållande till enorganisationsförändring. För att få svar på frågeställningen använde sigdenna studien av en kvantitativ metod. En webenkät utformades medmätbara variabler som tagits fram från tidigare forskning inom området. Ettbekvämlighetsurval gjordes i denna studie för att få ett större omfång avrespondenter. Enkäten skickades ut till 195 sektionschefer i 4 kommuner iSverige och av dessa svarade 65 respondenter. Man kan dra slutsatsernautifrån de svar som kommit in från respondenterna att de i förhållande tillen organisationsförändring ansåg att de får kompetensutveckling inomekonomi, arbetsmiljö och kommunikation om de behöver det.Sektionscheferna i studien ansåg att de fick utbildning, upplevde att de fickstöd och kände sig kompetenta i sitt ledarskap.

Este trabalho objetivou compreender e elucidar a aplicabilidade da noção de liderança na Gerência Média nas agências da Regional Caxias do Sul do Banco Delta, liderança esta que pode ser de pessoas, de negócios ou de processos, para os resultados da empresa. Para tanto, em um estudo de caso qualitativo, levantou-se a visão destes gerentes com relação ao mercado bancário para a necessidade de liderança (fatores do ambiente bancário que favorecem tal atitude e ainda quais os fatores que desfavorecem o exercício da liderança); como o Banco Delta apresenta a necessidade de liderança para sua Gerência Média e se existe espaço para atuação como líder, proporcionado pelo Banco ou mesmo através de sua própria iniciativa. Através de entrevistas, de pesquisa a documentos internos e de observação, procurou-se identificar situações do dia a dia que retratam a atuação desses Gerentes, bem como conhecer as condições das agências. Os questionamentos e as observações também foram dirigidos aos superiores (Gerentes Gerais) e subordinados (escriturários) do público pesquisado, haja vista que estes profissionais igualmente fazem parte deste processo de atuação da Gerência Média. Como principais resultados tem-se que as agências pesquisadas são grandes, com ótimos potenciais de negócios e um grande número de funcionários, o que indica que os setores internos necessitam de uma liderança localizada, não dependendo apenas do Gerente Geral. Os negócios acontecem nas carteiras, nos setores, e sem esta liderança o atingimento dos objetivos fica comprometido. Observou-se a existência de espaço para tal exercício, mesmo diante de alguns argumentos de demandas urgentes quanto a vendas, com desafios diários, metas pontuais na semana ou cobranças exageradas. Os perfis de cada gerente determinam o tamanho e a qualidade desta liderança. São, contudo, desfavoráveis ao exercício da liderança as mudanças repentinas de foco, com desafios “relâmpago” e cobranças “intradia”, o que retira parte do planejamento já elaborado pela agência e pelo setor. / This study aimed to understand and clarify the applicability of the concept of leadership in the Middle Management in the Caxias do Sul Regional branches of Banco Delta. This leadership might include people, businesses or processes for the results of the company. Therefore, a qualitative case study was carried out to investigate the vision of these managers regarding the banking market, the need of leadership (the banking environment factors that favor such an attitude and also which factors are against the exercise of leadership); How Banco Delta presents the need for leadership to their Middle Management; and also whether there is room for acting as a leader, provided by Banco Delta or through their own initiative. Through interviews, research of internal documents and observations, we sought to identify situations of everyday life that depict the performance of these managers, as well as to know the conditions of the agencies. The questions and observations were also directed to superiors (General Managers) and subordinates (clerks) of the researched public, given that these professionals are also part of this process of Middle Management performance. The main results are that the agencies surveyed are large, with great business potential and a large number of employees, which indicates that internal sectors need a located leadership, depending not only on the general manager. Business happens in the portfolios, sectors, and without this leadership the achievement of objectives is compromised. It was observed that there is room for such an exercise, despite some arguments that there are urgent demands as sales, with daily challenges, specific goals in the week, or exaggerated charges. The profiles of each manager determine the size and quality of this leadership. Sudden changes of focus, with "Lightning" challenges and charges "intraday" are, however, unfavorable to the exercise of leadership, which removes part of the planning already prepared by the agency and the sector.

Middle managers operate in an environment close to activities of their firm and in interaction with this environment identify opportunities, challenges, and subsequently generate innovation alternatives. While doing so they - among other - utilize also weak ties within their social network, which permeate internal and external environment of the firm and enable entry of new and divergent information in the innovation process. Middle managers communicate selected information to senior management levels, and the communication exchange between the middle and top management facilitates compliance with the firms innovation strategy, ensures resources as well as high level support for the implementation of innovation; middle managements information inputs at the same time influence senior management in defining the firms innovation strategy. In contact with ordinary employees (and lower levels of management), middle management compensates for differences between strategy and current activities of the firm, promotes innovation and overcomes resistance. To ensure support for innovation within the organization, middle managers draw, inter alia, on their internal networks of strong ties, including their informal components. Middle management acts as a communication bridge, which helps to balance the tensions originating from the differences between environments of the senior management and employees. From this perspective, the communication interfaces between the different levels of management, or the companys hierarchy, seem to play a critical role; my research at the same time indicates there are significant differences in perception between middle and senior management of intracompany processes enabling innovation.

I denna studie undersöker vi mellanchefens roll i mitten av organisationen. Rollen som mellanchef porträtteras i tidigare forskning som komplex då positionen är av både över- och underordnad karaktär, och innefattar därmed en dubbelriktad lojalitet. Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka vad som motiverar mellanchefen att vilja axla denna komplexa roll, samt vad mellanchefer själva upplever är den största utmaningen. Slutligen har vi velat studera om det finns skillnader gällande förutsättningar att utöva rollen, beroende på om man är interneller externrekryterad till positionen. Utifrån studiens resultat har vi kunnat utläsa att våra informanter beskriver möjligheten att utöva personalvård som den viktigaste faktorn till varför de valt att bli mellanchefer. Vi har även kunnat konstatera att mellanchefers arbete handlar om konflikthantering, det vill säga att hantera konflikter i ett tidigt skede innan de övergår till att bli ohanterbara motstridigheter. Slutligen har vi identifierat vissa förutsättningar som skiljer intern- och externrekryterade mellanchefer åt när det kommer till deras förutsättningar att utöva sitt arbete. Den största skillnaden handlar om huruvida personen besitter ledarskapsegenskaper eller inte.

The general purpose of this study was to explore the perception of discrimination under the middle managers in a selected South African mining company, as well as the associated impacts thereof on the individual and organisation. Although discrimination is a global phenomenon with a vast amount of scientific studies conducted on this topic, literature remains rather silent on the prevalence of discrimination among middle managers; especially within the South African mining industry. Organisational discrimination is defined as actions within an organisation which are biased towards certain individuals or groups. Literature suggests that discrimination is still very prevalent within organisations, both locally and internationally. It is typically influenced by aspects such as culture, and human resources practices and systems. The impacts are widespread with specific impacts on the individual’s mental or physical health, as well as productivity. South Africa however implemented a plethora of legislative measures to redress past inequalities and eliminate discrimination in its current form. This study followed a qualitative approach by means of a survey conducted through an open-ended questionnaire. The results indicated a high personal experience of discrimination within the specific mining company amongst the middle management team members. Their perception of discrimination towards their colleagues was also measured as above average. This exposure to discrimination impacted on their productivity and to a lesser extent on their personal well-being. Their perception of the potential impacts of this discrimination was reportedly higher than their actual experience thereof. The main discriminatory actions associated with this perception was centred on the notion, namely that middle managers were not recognised nor rewarded within this company. General benefits were withheld and expected promotions denied. The study’s results also confirm the perception that discrimination towards the middle management team will ultimately impact on the company’s overall performance. The study suggests that this high level, as well as the specific types of discrimination within this mining company, is related to a company specific culture. It further suggests that it is also exacerbated by the current socio-political reforms within the South African mining industry. The study concludes by suggesting that the perception of discrimination within a company is as harmful as the event itself, and should therefore form an integral part of any internal programme aimed at addressing this issue. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015