This thesis examines the changes in managers’ construction of their identities during the last two decades of social and organizational change. It is based around a detailed interpretative study of middle managers in three companies, Carlux, Larts and Nylons. The three in-depth case studies were drawn from a wider sample and some additional data were also drawn from this wider sample. The thesis critically examines Gowler and Legge’s 1983/1996 model of managers’ construction of the meaning of management, and argues that the model is is need of extension - on the one hand, to add emphasis to dimensions of gender and power, and on the other, to take into account the changes in organising process which, it is often argued, are moving from modem to postmodern forms. A model, the Management in Three Movements Model, is generated from critical analysis of the relevant literature to suggest a move at three levels - at a structural level from the differentiation of hierarchy to the dedifferentiation of networking; at a representational level from the rationality of accountability to the enchantment of seduction; and at a behavioural level from the commodification of achievement to the consumption of commitment. Additionally a model of modes of production of managerial subjectivity is proposed, identifying five modes incorporation, of disciplined subjectivity, subjective identity, resistance and autonomy. The case study data are then used to interrogate the models and three key factors are observed to be influencing and interrupting the shift from modem to postmodern - managerial narcissism; gender, particularly masculinity; and forms of resistance. Through analysis of the data, four archetypal modes of narcissism are identified; Clegg et al’s power/resistance matrix is modified; and the model of modes of resistance is illustrated at work by mapping aspects of the data onto it. Overall, whilst the shift in conditions of organizational functioning has undoubtedly occurred since Gowler and Legge’s investigation, it is argued that this shift has not fully transformed managerial identities from modem to postmodern forms. Using poststructuralist feminist analysis, it is further argued that identity is never fixed into a form of being, but is always to some extent fluid and becoming, and that methodologies now need to be developed which both recognise and are sensitive to these qualities in data, and allow them to emerge in theoretical accounts.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the trends that have developed in middle management training and development since 1963. Both primary and secondary research data were used. The base data utilized were from a 1963 study by M. Gene Newport. Primary data were acquired from a questionnaire mailing to 251 members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Additional primary data were gained from personal and telephone interviews with various training and development personnel. The 251 questionnaires were mailed to companies within 12 different industries. There were 101 questionnaire respondents for a return percentage of 40 percent.

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The focus of this master’s thesis is to understand the challenges that middle managers face in highly turbulent internal and external environments of an organization. Middle Managers have to often perform several roles in an organization such as Entrepreneur, Translator, Team Leader, and Motivator. This research provides tools and techniques for the Middle Managers to implement strategy and to help them become an integral part of strategic renewal process, while performing these roles. The research identifies techniques that could help address the challenge of maintaining a balance between concurrent existence of stability and creative chaos within their organizations. The output of the research is a guideline that Middle Managers can use to facilitate successful execution of strategy at middle levels and in-turn build middle management excellence. / text

This doctoral study draws upon interviews with nine curriculum-based FE college middle-managers, and three college strategic plan documents, to critically analyse middle-management identity. Through the use of an analytical framework based on Foucault’s archaeological and genealogical ‘method’ the study shows that when middle-managers talk about their professional practice they are preoccupied with data-metrics. Consequently, they are recognised as ‘disciplined subjects’; disciplined by those data-metrics materially inscribed within the discursive regimes of their college strategic plan documents. The study additionally indicates that the more hierarchically senior the middle-manager the greater the intensity of focus upon data-metrics at the expense of institutional social relations, whereby their preoccupations with data-metrics yield de-socialising effects between themselves and key institutional participants such as teachers, learners and support staff. The study further suggests that while the middle-managers within this study were curriculum-based they were not curriculum-focused; findings which were consistent through the range of middle-management levels: senior-middle, lower-middle and middle-middle, and at separate college sites. Considered together these findings raise a number of important questions for the crucial role of curriculum-based middle-managers, particularly where middle-management as a function is recognised as the means by which policy implementation is secured yet where curriculum-based work, when understood as necessarily tied to pedagogic practices, requires a focus around ‘the learner’; a learner not ontologically foregrounded as data, but in authentically social terms.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The importance of strategy execution in an organisation cannot be downplayed because without it the sustainability of the organisation is at stake. Merely having great strategies is not sufficient as the implementation is the key to direct the activities of the organisation. Middle management plays a central role in strategy execution and any disconnect between them and the top management is bound to lead to organisational failure of effective strategy execution. This research study was based on the role that middle management play in the execution of strategy at the Roads Authority (RA). Semi-structured interviews were used to interview ten middle managers of the organisation, who were randomly selected through purposive sampling. The findings reveal that middle management is failing to play the requisite role of interpreting and translating strategy into actions. The findings further indicate that there is a leadership disconnect between them and their supervisors. They are also facing challenges of questionable strategy alignment within the operations which is causing ineffective resource allocation. In addition, the results indicate that the enabling tools such as the performance management, business systems and allocation of resources are falling short of assisting middle managers in strategy implementation. Lastly, these findings can assist the case study organisation to understand the strategic transformation process at middle management level and to review it for improving and to take corrective actions. The research study was an explorative one and used a limited sample, hence it will be necessary to do further research to get more insights about the potential roles that middle management could play in strategy formulation and the contributions they currently make towards it. The findings of this study can also not be generalised as they are for use only by the case study organisation.

MA, Industrial Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, 2010 / This study explored the career barriers of black women in middle management through the application of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory. The rationale behind the study was informed by statistics that show that there are few black women in top management, a fact attributable to the double discrimination faced during Apartheid because of their gender and race. The two aims of the study were to explore any career barriers that these women may be experiencing or have experienced as they attempt to advance their careers to top management; and secondly, to explore the coping strategies that these women use to deal with the barriers experienced while attempting to advance their careers. In order to investigate the research questions, nine women who met the criteria of the study participated in semi-structured interviews. The study was qualitative in nature, and the interview transcripts were analyzed through thematic content analysis. The main themes were identified and presented under the 4 S’s: Situation, Self, Support and Strategy. What became apparent from the findings was that the participants were dealing with a dual challenge of gender and race discrimination. They were also dealing with role conflict and other barriers such as politics in the workplace and age discrimination. However, it was found that these women were proactive in confronting their challenges as they engaged in numerous coping strategies including education and social support to cope with the career barriers. Schlossberg’s Transition Theory proved to be an appropriate framework for exploration of the career barriers and thus the application of this theory had implications for theory, organisations and future research.

Thesis (MBA) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / Middle management at Shoprite faced challenges and their role is diverse and they lack strategies to cope with challenges within the organisation.Middle managers, in trying to balance the needs of senior and junior managers, often feel like ‘piggy-inthe- middle’, with potential for conflict and tension (McConville, 2006; Floyd and Wooldridge, 1992). A lack of leadership from senior management may compromise middle managers’ ability to take a professional approach to managing their area. Middle managers in Shoprite say that they want to be more professional Burgess, (2011)but are being inhibited by the lack of support and awareness from senior managers, with a negative impact on their motivation and their job satisfaction. In addition lack of middle manager’s involvement in decision making and strategy formulation. Middle managers become reluctant to change due to lack of communication on strategy alteration. This study intends to investigate the challenges faced by middle management at Shoprite Holdings Limited in Limpopo Province. The findings of the study show that the roles are challenging and varied, strategy implementation is a major challenge and support for middle managers is generally insufficient. Middle managers require support in induction into the middle management role and ongoing mentoring and appraisal. The little studies have been conducted about the challenges faced by middle management from different perspectives and organisations. Finally, further research into the challenges faced by middle management at Shoprite Holdings Ltd is required as it could either endorse or challenge the findings of this study and might also inform Top management about the Challenges faced by middle management and prompt an evaluation of the existing role, challenges and needs. Key words; Middle management

This thesis investigates Australian middle management teamwork in private and public sector organisations. The research sought to understand key teamwork variables previously overviewed in the literature, but never synthesised and substantially investigated. The main aim, and value, of the study is to bring greater clarity to business organisation teamwork in Australia by determining the variables that define teamwork, and creating a practical model for teams to manage their development. the research rests on a paradigm of post-positiveness, with a particular emphasis on critical realism.The main data collection methodology employed was a survey instrument. The selected paradigm of critical realism allowed a mixture of exploratory methods, and therefore team member focus group reviews were employed to triangulate and confirm the teamwork concepts extracted from the extant literature review. The results indicate that the research hypotheses were not all supported by the data. In general, the hypotheses logically theorised that people in the same teams in the same organisations shared the same attitude and effectiveness perception of their teams. This model could also be used to gain a first pass understanding of team success potential. It should be of assistance to operational management review team processes and human resource departments trying to decide if team members need specific help in the form of education, team member rotation or team member mix adjustment. The model may also help senior management individuals better understand the process required for successful middle management teamwork. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Magister Commercii - MCom / Middle managers play an important role in contemporary organisations, particularly in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Research on middle managers in a HEI environment suggests that their roles, work practice and identities are under-researched. Middle managers occupy a central position in organisational hierarchies where they are responsible for implementing senior management plans. In HEIs in SA academic middle managers/heads of departments (HODs) face many challenges that are not commonly found in conventional organisations. In this qualitative study the contribution is based on the participants’ experiences in relation to an increasingly diverse workload and responsibilities. Using a fluid conceptualisation of identity and subjectivity, the researcher argues that academic middle managers are engaged in ethical and political practices through demands in the workplace. Drawing on theories on ethics put forward by Foucault, Levinas & Critchley, various aspects of ethics of ‘the self’ and ethics of ‘the other’ in relation to academic middle managers’ identities and practices are discussed. A case study was used with a cross-sectional research design to gather the data on academic middle managers in a single faculty in a South African HEI. Information gathered particularly focussed on the implementation of ethical practices. The findings show that middle managers’ work practices were dependent on their ethical goals and aspirations. This is crucial to achieving success in a HEI. The findings indicate that many academic middle managers engaged with the multiple demands of their positions but attempted to form and shape their identities and practices in the higher education system in response to their own ethical value systems. Thus, academic middle managers created and fashioned new and personalised hybrid identities based on their ethical values to cope with multiple demands. The recommendation is that academic middle managers receive contemporary management training (such as intrapreneurship, leadership, management, administrative etc.) on how to cope and manage the multiple demands within a higher education environment. It is further recommended that they be given more space and freedom to rely on ethics in dealing with their functions rather than following strict guidelines on what they ought to do within their respective departments.