Le changement n’est pas une chose qui peut être décidée mais plutôt quelque chose qui se fabrique. Selon un processus cadencé, de nombreuses études en gouvernance et en management stratégique placent les middle managers au cœur des analyses. Bien plus que des relais, ils conduisent le changement et contribuent à définir les compétences organisationnelles pour de meilleures performances. La conduite du changement peut être appréhendée au travers des études portant sur des aspects cognitifs ainsi qu’au travers de la Responsabilité Sociale de l’Entreprise (RSE) : celle-ci offre une occasion idéale aux middle managers de se rapprocher de la Direction Générale. Aborder ces thématiques implique un focus particulier sur le pouvoir des acteurs tout en considérant des notions de légitimité et d’urgence (Mitchell et al., 1997). Cette approche dynamique et cognitive permet de comprendre davantage les tensions partenariales quotidiennes et comment elles sont gérées. Dans ce travail, les middle managers figurent comme des instrumentalisateurs (ou manipulateurs), capables d’actionner des leviers relationnels (pouvoir, légitimité et urgence). La manière d’utiliser la politique de RSE dans leurs pratiques quotidiennes permet à ces managers d’évoluer dans le noyau stratégique organisationnel. A partir d’une étude exploratoire puis d’une étude de cas unique concernant MEDIAPOST (filiale du Groupe La Poste, spécialisée dans le courrier non-adressé), complétée par un focus partiel sur quatre grandes entreprises (Schneider Electric, Michelin, GDF Suez et Saint Gobain), ce travail étudie les systèmes de relations dans le cadre d’une transformation perpétuelle. Il propose une typologie de middle managers et un comportement type d’instrumentalisation de la RSE. Le modèle identifie différents profils : le pilote stratégique, le défendeur stratégique, le modérateur stratégique et le négociateur ou facilitateur stratégique selon trois degrés d’instrumentalisation (nulle, partielle et forte). / Change cannot be decided, it must be managed. Following a gradual process, many studies in corporate governance and strategic management give a key role to middle managers, since those actors do more than transferring organizational skills: they help to define them for better performances. This literature gets along with studies on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and those related to cognitive aspects when it comes to corporate governance. In fact, CSR provides an ideal environment for middle managers to approach top management. Such question implies a particular focus on actors and their power at the same time that it considers the concepts of legitimacy and urgency (Mitchell et al. 1997).This approach allows understanding daily tensions and how they are managed through dynamic and cognitive aspects.In the present research, middle managers appear as manipulators who are able to activate relational levers (power, legitimacy and urgency). By studying how those actors guide the CSR policy in their daily practice, it is possible to understand how they progress within the core of organizational strategy. This work is based on an exploratory study and a single case study about MEDIAPOST (a subsidiary of La Poste Group specialized in non-addressed mail), which is complemented by a partial focus on four major companies (Schneider Electric, Michelin, GDF Suez and Saint Gobain). By doing so, this research examines the relations systems within a constantly changing model and proposes a typology of middle managers and their manipulation types: a strategic driver, a strategic defender, a strategic facilitator and a strategic negotiator (or facilitator) according to three degrees of manipulation (zero, partial and strong).

A rise in the number of high-profile cases of management failure and leadership misconduct increased the awareness of one of the core challenges of management, namely to lead responsibly and with integrity. The environment which senior managers create and within which middle managers need to function seems to have a direct bearing on the moral behaviour and integrity of the middle manager. The aim of this research was therefore to gain a better understanding of how middle managers view the impact of senior managers on their experience of integrity. There is an increasing need in organisations for responsible leadership, leadership with integrity and leadership towards developing the integrity of the follower. This study was conducted within the interpretive research paradigm. Sampling was directed by criterion-based guidelines, focusing on current middle managers from different industries in the private sector. In-depth interviews were conducted and the data was analysed using a grounded theory method. The main findings indicated that senior managers should engage in two debates with middle managers in the organisation. Firstly, integrity is not something that is demonstrated but rather means that leaders can be differentiated from other leaders when they lead with integrity. Secondly, defining integrity and linking it to personal standards and values, as well as aligning these standards and values to the organisational strategy, vision and mission, are important. The findings of this study can assist senior managers with decreasing unethical behaviour and increasing integrity in the organisation. The research provided a basic framework that can assist in creating a positive context for the viii relationship between senior managers and middle managers within which to function, in order to decrease unethical employee activity and increase integrity. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

Text in Afrikaans / The goal with the research is firstly is to study and theoretically describe the interpersonal style repertoire of middle level managers according to the interpersonal approach and more specifically the 1982 Interpersonal Circle. Secondly the interpersonal development interventions and the development process for middle level managers were discussed from this approach. The third theoretical goal involved compiling a interpersonal development programme for middle level managers. The empirical goals of the research involved the evaluation of the interpersonal style repertoires of middle level managers by means of self and fellow manager evaluations in an attempt to get an indication of the most prominent interpersonal styles of middle level managers. Furthermore the empirical investigation involved an analysis of the influence of the interpersonal development programme in expanding the interpersonal style repertoires of middle level managers. The results of the self evaluations suggest that the warm-friendly, deferent-trusting, assureddominant and sociable-exhibitionistic styles are the primary styles of the 263 middle managers in the sample. Their evaluations by the 82 fellow managers seem to indicate that the warmfriendly, assured-dominant, deferent-trusting, and sociable-exhibitionistic styles are the most prominent interpersonal styles of middle level managers. Although these results seem to correspond to the teoretically applicable style repertoires of middle level managers the scores were all below average. XIV With the interpersonal development programme an attempt was made to make the group of 32 managers aware of their own interpersonal style repertoires and to provide them with the opportunity to study the way in which these are used in interpersonal transactions during a experiential learning experience. The development interventions, process and the influence of the development programme are also discussed. / Die doel met hierdie navorsmg is eerstens om die interpersoonlike stylrepertoire van middelvlakbestuurders aan die hand van die interpersoonlike benadering en meer spesifiek 1982 Interpersoonlike Sirkel, te bestudeer en teoreties te beskryf. Tweedens is die interpersoonlike ontwikkelingsintervensies en -ontwikkelingsproses vir middelvlakbestuurders vanuit die benadering beskryf. Die derde teoretiese doelstelling het die samestelling van 'n interpersoonlike ontwikkelingsprogram vir middelvlakbestuurders behels. Wat die empiriese doelstellings in die navorsing betref, is die interpersoonlike stylrepertoire van middelvlakbestuurders deur middel van self- en medebestuurderevaluasies geevalueer om sodoende 'n aanduiding van die mees prominente interpersoonlike style van middelvlakbestuuders te kry. Verder het die empiriese ondersoek ook 'n ontleding van die invloed van die interpersoonlike ontwikkelingsprogram op die uitbreiding van middelvlakbestuurders se interpersoonlike style ingesluit. Die resultate van hulle selfevaluasies suggereer <lat die warm-vriendelik, geleidend-vertrouend, versekerd-dominant en sosiaal-ekshibisionistiese style die primere interpersoonlike style van die steekproef van 263 middelvlakbestuurders is. Wat die resultate van die evaluasies van die 82 medebestuurders betref, blyk dit dat die warm-vriendelik, versekerd-dominant, geleidendvertrouend en sosiaal-ekshibisionistiese style as die mees prominente style is. XVI Alhoewel hierdie resultate in 'n groot mate met die teoereties-toepaslike stylrepertoire van middelvlakbestuurders ooreenstem, was al die tellings ondergemiddeld. Met die interpersoonlike ontwikkelingsprogram is daar gepoog om 'n bewustheid by 'n groep van 32 bestuurders van hulle eie interpersoonlike stylrepertoire te kweek, en om hulle die geleentheid te bied om die interpersoonlike transakies waarin die style na vore tree, tydens 'n eksperimentele leerondervinding te bestudeer. Die gedragsontwikkelingsintervensies, die gedragsontwikkelingsproses en die invloed van die ontwikkelingsprogram word ook bespreek / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / D. Com (Bedryfsielkunde)

The aim of this research is to investigate how succession planning can be used as a developmental tool in developing middle managers in the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The research shows that the DST has good strategies and policies in place for the development and retention of its employees, although there is no succession planning tool or system in place. Proposed interventions to address identified gaps in terms of succession planning include a quota system of positions that should be filled by internal candidates to encourage employees’ buy-in to succession planning; inculcating it in the institutional culture and therefore, preserving and retaining institutional memory; creating a robust reward management programme based upon a pay-scheme that seeks to reward middle managers for developing their competencies in line with institutional requirements / Public Administration and Management / M.A. (Public Administration)

Submitted by Juliana De Souza Martins (julismartins@uol.com.br) on 2018-06-06T03:26:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Competências gerenciais do middle manager_JSM.pdf: 764926 bytes, checksum: 45e8753eae0bda3528968651bb6d713a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Mayara Costa de Sousa (mayara.sousa@fgv.br) on 2018-06-08T22:05:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Competências gerenciais do middle manager_JSM.pdf: 764926 bytes, checksum: 45e8753eae0bda3528968651bb6d713a (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Raphael Xavier (raphael.xavier@fgv.br) on 2018-06-11T12:11:56Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Competências gerenciais do middle manager_JSM.pdf: 764926 bytes, checksum: 45e8753eae0bda3528968651bb6d713a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-11T12:11:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Competências gerenciais do middle manager_JSM.pdf: 764926 bytes, checksum: 45e8753eae0bda3528968651bb6d713a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-05-14 / Os gerentes da média gestão, a quem nesse estudo chamaremos de middle managers, são responsáveis por fazer a ligação entre o nível executivo e o nível operacional nas empresas. Eles agem como sintetizadores da informação da alta liderança e como facilitadores para os níveis abaixo e níveis laterais (áreas de suporte, por exemplo) encorajando e engajando as equipes a novas ideias e outros fatores experimentais na busca por resultados. O presente trabalho estabelece-se em torno desse importante agente, restringindo sua pesquisa a middle managers que atuam na área comercial de uma instituição bancária de grande porte que atua junto às grandes empresas brasileiras. O estudo compreende uma análise da literatura existente sobre o tema competências e deseja compreender quais são as competências gerenciais que a organização estabelece para o público de middle managers; seja formalmente, via avaliação de competências, seja informalmente, via cobrança dos gestores que lideram este grupo de média gestão. Adicionalmente, o projeto deseja compreender quais são as competências gerenciais que a organização estabelece para esse público: seja formalmente, via avaliação de competências, seja informalmente via cobrança dos gestores que acompanham esses gerentes no dia a dia. O levantamento das competências do middle manager 'cobradas' pelos gestores foi realizado a partir de entrevistas com os líderes da área em questão, o que resultou numa relação de 12 competências principais. Em paralelo, foi realizado um levantamento com os próprios middle managers a fim de determinar quais as competências que eles entendem que possuem. Esse levantamento culminou numa lista de 13 competências. Os quatro levantamentos foram comparados e consolidados, todas as intersecções foram excluídas e encontrou-se uma relação de 11 competências importantes para a atuação do público em questão. / Middle management managers, whom we will call middle managers in this study, are responsible for connecting the executive level to the operational level in companies. They act as high-level information synthesizers and as facilitators for the levels below and lateral levels (supporting areas, for example) by encouraging and engaging teams with new ideas and other experimental factors in the search for results. The present work establishes itself around this important agent, restricting its research to middle managers who work in the commercial area of a large banking institution that works with large Brazilian companies. The study comprises an analysis of the existing literature on the subject competencies that results in 34 competencies. In addition, the project wants to understand the managerial competencies that the organization establishes for this public: either formally, through evaluation of competencies, or informally through the collection of the managers who accompany these managers on a daily basis. The survey of managerial skills 'collected' by the managers was carried out through interviews with the leaders of the area in question, which resulted in a list of 12 main competencies. In parallel, a survey was carried out with the middle managers themselves in order to determine what competences they understand they have. This survey culminated in a list of 13 competencies. The four surveys were compared and consolidated, all intersections were excluded and a list of 11 important competencies was found for the performance of the public in question.

Thesis(M. Ed.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2008. / The existence and survival of an individual and/or organization, such as a Higher Education Institution (HEI), have always depended on the ability of this individual or organization to control the environment in which it exists. This person or organization should overcome certain threats and obstacles that may cross its path by means of simple, pre-constructed plans. The situation must thus be managed in order to ensure the continuation of the person or organization. In this study the focus is on the functional tasks of the middle management team in an HEI. Middle management is concerned with the near future and is therefore responsible for medium- and short-term planning, organizing functional areas, leading by means of departmental heads, and controlling the management activities of the middle managers’ own departments. This study wants to identify factors in the different functional areas of middle management that could hamper the productivity of this area, and thus the institution as a whole. A qualitative study, with questionnaires as data capturing tool, was employed. Various factors that may hamper proper functioning were identified in the study. Lack of intra- and inter-departmental communication, staff shortages due to the restructuring process, countless policies and procedures in place (to streamline the execution of duties) hamper more than assist staff members in the execution of their duties. It was found that the staff members seek a sense of security, as this will lead to improved productivity.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the years before South Africa's new political dispensation, many people were denied their fundamental right to be developed to their fullest potential. They could only dream of enjoying a more meaningful and fulfilled life. As a result South Africa was rated internationally as the lowest on the scale for human development. With the first free elections held in 1994, all South Africans were promised the freedom to be equal as citizens. Much rested upon the shoulders of the newly-elected political leadership. President Mandela performed his new leadership role with admirable integrity. He engendered a spirit of enthusiasm among many to rise up and meet the economic and social challenges facing the fragile democracy. One of the most significant challenges was to develop and grow a depleted skills base in a manner that would build unity and respect amongst its learners. Learning is central to any social and economic reform, and is an important vehicle to achieving desired goals. As a result, legislative changes were introduced to South Africa's education, training and development system soon after the elections. In 1995 the South African Qualifications Authority Act was passed. This allowed for the establishment of a National Qualifications Framework, the objectives of which is to create an integrated national education framework, and to promote a culture of lifelong learning. In 1998 the Skills Development Act was subsequently introduced. Its primary aim was to spearhead South Africa's Skills Development Strategy, which aims to provide a broad scope and context to that which the country requires in order to make it globally competitive. The Strategy links education and training interventions to labour market realities, and social and economic reforms, providing an operational and national yardstick for learning. It sets out to ensure that people become more involved in, and assume greater responsibility for their education, training and development. In order for education, training and development to build individual, organisational and national capacity it must infer alia, be aligned to the new legislation. To facilitate the meeting of this requirement, training interventions must be outcomes-based. Alignment to the new legislation will promote the aims and objectives enshrined in South Africa's Skills Development Strategy, and in so doing will achieve social and economic reforms. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In die jare voor Suid-Afrika se nuwe politieke bedeling is baie mense die fundamentele reg ontneem om tot hul volle potensiaal ontwikkel te word. Hulle kon net droom van 'n meer betekenisvolle en vervulde lewe. As gevolg hiervan is Suid-Afrika internasionaal as die laagste op die skaal van menslike ontwikkeling geëvalueer. Toe die eerste vrye verkiesings in 1994 gehou is, is alle Suid-Afrikaners beloof dat hulle voortaan gelyke burgers sal wees. Daar het dus 'n groot verantwoordelikheid op die skouers van die nuutverkose politieke leiers gerus. President Mandela het dié leiersrol met bewonderenswaardige integriteit vervul. Hy het talle Suid-Afrikaners met entoesiasme vervul om uit te styg en die ekonomiese en sosiale uitdagings wat die brose demokrasie in die gesig gestaar het, die hoof te bied. Een van die grootste uitdagings was om 'n uitgeputte vaardigheidsbasis te ontwikkel en uit te bou op 'n manier wat eenheid en respek onder leerders sou kweek. Leer vorm die kern van enige sosiale en ekonomiese hervorming, en is 'n belangrike instrument waarmee verlangde doelwitte verwesenlik kan word. Gevolglik is die wetgewing wat Suid-Afrika se onderwys-, opleiding- en ontwikkelingstelsel reël, kort na die verkiesings gewysig. Die Wet op die Suid-Afrikaanse Kwalifikasie-owerheid is in 1995 aanvaar. Dit het tot die daarstelling van 'n Nasionale Kwalifikasieraamwerk gelei. Die doel hiervan is om 'n geïntegreerde nasionale onderwysraamwerk te skep en 'n kultuur van lewenslange leer te bevorder. Daarna is die Wet op Vaardigheidsontwikkeling in 1998 aanvaar. Die hoofdoel hiervan was om Suid-Afrika se Vaardigheidsontwikkelingstrategie te ontwikkel met die doel om 'n breë omvang en konteks vir dit wat die land nodig het om internasionaal mededingend te wees, te bied. Die Strategie lê die verband tussen onderwys- en opleidingsingrepe en die werklikhede van die arbeidsmark, en sosiale en ekonomiese hervorming deur 'n operasionele en nasionale maatstaf vir leer daar te stel. Dit wil verseker dat mense meer by hulle onderwys, opleiding en ontwikkeling betrokke raak en verantwoordelikheid daarvoor aanvaar.

This study is an attempt to improve job satisfaction and work motivation of the Egyptian textile managers and to fill the gap in the managerial literature regarding the Egyptian textile working context. The main objective of this study is to explore the motivation and job satisfaction of the Egyptian senior and middle managers. A research model was developed in order to explain and to understand the satisfaction and motivation process of senior and middle managers and was empirically tested in the actual textile context. Egyptian textile managers' motivation and job satisfaction were explored by using a total of 247 survey questionnaires and 33 interviews. The major findings indicated that the personal, organisational, and cultural factors were found to influence managers' job satisfaction and motivation. Managers were satisfied with their working conditions, job security, and their personal relationships. However, managers were dissatisfied with their pay, promotion, company policies, training, and their appraisal system. Moreover, managers have placed more concern for job content factors rather than for job context factors. The Egyptian culture was positively related with managers' concern for good personal relationships, achievement, responsibility, and for seeking to more knowledge. However, it negatively affected women managers' status as it led to a gender-biased discrimination towards them. The findings suggest a need to consider the personal differences between managers, improve the promotion system, review salary structure, adopt a results-focused appraisal system, pay more attention to the content job factors, improve training system, increase coordination and delegation of authority, give women equal rights, and increase managers' involvement in decision-making process.

<p>As a result of organizational restructuring, the role of the middle managers has changed over time. Studies of change processes have increasingly placed focus on middle managers. According to researchers, middle managers play a key role in implementing the change. When putting the change into practice, there are factors affecting the middle managers. However, further research is needed regarding what constrains and enables the middle manager in these change processes.</p><p>Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to explore the sensemaking and sensegiving process during organizational change, with focus on middle managers. To answer to the purpose, a theoretical model combining Balogun and Johnson’s (2005), Nonaka and Takeuchi’s (1995) models and theories of middle management is developed. By using the model we analyze the centralization of the accounting departments at the Swedish energy company Vattenfall. This change process constitutes the case of this thesis.</p><p>The empirical findings are based on ten interviews and two group discussions with top management, middle managers, co-workers as well as other key actors in the project providing trustworthiness to our study. A qualitative method using an abductive approach is used in the thesis to explore the actors’ interpretation of the change and capture the complexity of the case.</p><p>The conclusion includes enablers and constraints during the sensemaking and sensegiving process for the middle managers during the centralization of Vattenfall’s accounting departments. The identified enablers are the communication channels, a middle manager’s awareness of employees’ approach of making sense, the provided tools used to adjust working processes, some Business Units’ initial negative attitude towards the change, as well as the rejuvenated spirit. Finally, the middle managers themselves enabled the change as a result of their unique role in the organization.</p><p>On the other hand, the recognized constraints in the sensemaking and sensegiving process of the middle managers are; concerns regarding middle managers’ future employment, their ‘stuck in the middle’ position, limited resources, new working processes not adopted by some co-workers, and positive attitudes that resulted to flaws in the planning at some Business Units.</p>

Business strategy in itself is a well-known concept in today’s academic literature and extensive research on strategy formulation can easily be found. Strategy implementation on the other hand has not been researched to the same extent. This seems to be contradictory when one takes into consideration that effective and efficient strategy implementation has been proven to have an incredibly large impact on the success of any firm, company or organisation. Furthermore, no strategy will be beneficial for a company if it cannot be implemented. Adding to the complexity of this situation, middle management has long been disregarded concerning the strategy process or even thought to be detrimental. However, in recent years there has been a shift and research has started to recognise the importance of middle managers. The thesis aims to provide a deeper understanding of how middle management actively operates when implementing strategy. By doing so the thesis may be of value for middle managers and companies working with strategy, by increasing awareness about middle management’s influence on the strategy implementation process.  This thesis is partially exploratory and partially descriptive with a qualitative and deductive nature. In order to answer the purpose, a research strategy of case studies was used where empirical data was collected from interviews held with six different middle managers.  An implementation process model that described the different phases of strategy execution and supporting activities surrounding implementation was created. The developed implementation framework had its foundation in previous research concerning strategy implementation from an organisational perspective. The data that was collected from the middle managers was then analysed and compared to the model. By modifying the implementation process model using the information received from the middle managers a verified implementation process model was created which takes into account the middle management perspective.   The most important findings suggest that middle managers are important for the implementation process. An implementation process model from a middle management perspective has been developed which presents the phases of execution and what impact middle managers have during the course of the implementation. The findings further suggest that middle management can increase the successfulness of a strategy if allowed influence from start to finish. / Strategier i sig självt är ett välkänt område i dagens akademiska litteratur och man kan enkelt hitta utförlig forskning om strategi formulering. Implementeringen av strategier är däremot inte ett lika populärt forskningsområde. Detta är något motsägelsefullt när man tar hänsyn till att en effektiv implementering av strategi har visat sig ha en väldigt stor påverkan på företags framgång. Dessutom kan ingen strategi vara fördelaktig för ett företag om strategin ej kan implementeras. För att öka komplexiteten av detta har mellanchefer länge blivit förbisedda eller till och med ansetts vara skadliga för strategi processen. Dock håller detta på att ändras och mellanchefer börjar mer och mer anses som viktiga. Denna uppsats försöker skapa en djupare förståelse för hur mellanchefer aktivt arbetar när implementering av strategier sker. Genom detta kan uppsatsen vara av värde för mellanchefer och företag som arbetar med strategier genom att bidra med en ökad medvetenhet om mellanchefers påverkan på implementeringsprocessen.  Uppsatsen var delvis explorativ och delvis deskriptiv med ett kvalitativ och deduktiv tillvägagångssätt. Fallstudier användes där data samlades in via intervjuer med sex olika mellanchefer.  En modell som beskriver implementeringsprocessens olika faser och stödjande faktor skapades. Modellen var baserad på tidigare forskning om implementering av strategier från ett företagsperspektiv. Data som samlades in från mellancheferna var sedan analyserad och jämnförd med modellen. Genom att anpassa modellen med informationen från mellancheferna en verifierad implementeringsprocess utifrån ett mellanchefsperspektiv skapades.  Det viktigaste resultatet antyder att mellanchefer är viktiga för implementering av strategier. Implementeringsmodellen ur ett mellanchefsperspektiv presenterar faser av utförandet av strategi och effekten mellanchefer har under implementeringsprocessen. Resultaten antyder även att mellanchefer kan öka strategiers sannolikhet för framgång om de har möjlighet att bidra från stat till slut.