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Investigating the role of middle managers in strategy-making process: An Australian mixed method study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2014

Tim O'Shannassy
Tim O'Shannassy*
Affiliation:
Graduate School of Business and Law, MIT University, Melbourne, Australia
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
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Abstract

Several influential writers including Henry Mintzberg and Gary Hamel have highlighted the need for organizations to value the contribution to strategy work of middle managers in an uncertain world. In this study quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews are used to mix methods and investigate the role of middle managers in strategy-making process in Australia. The results indicate that middle managers are the ‘doers’ of strategy, with important ‘analyst’, ‘coordinator’, ‘information source’ and ‘communicator’ roles. Middle managers reported some frustration in interviews that at times they feel their input to strategic conversations is not translated effectively into organization strategy.

Keywords

survey studiesmixed methodsqualitative methodsstrategy formulation and implementationAustralia
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 20 , Issue 2 , March 2014 , pp. 187 - 205
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2014 

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