Middle management - Wikipedia

Middle management is the intermediate management level of a hierarchical organization that is subordinate to the executive management and responsible for ... Middlemanagement FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch Middlemanagementistheintermediatemanagementlevelofahierarchicalorganizationthatissubordinatetotheexecutivemanagementandresponsiblefor‘teamleading’linemanagersand/or‘specialist’linemanagers.Middlemanagementisindirectly(throughlinemanagement)responsibleforjuniorstaffperformanceandproductivity.[1] Unlikelinemanagement,middlemanagementisconsideredtobeasenior(orsemi-executive)positionasmiddlemanagersareauthorisedtospeakandactonbehalfoftheorganisationtolinemanagers,juniorstaffandcustomers. Contents 1Roleinanorganization 1.1Functionsofamiddlemanager 1.2Competencies 1.3Middlemanagervs.linemanager 2Criticism 2.1Influence 2.2Resistance 2.3Necessity 3Future 4References 5Externallinks Roleinanorganization[edit] Functionsofamiddlemanager[edit] Amiddlemanagerisalinkbetweentheseniormanagementandthelower(junior)levelsoftheorganization.Duetoinvolvementintoday-to-dayrunningofabusiness,middlemanagershavetheopportunitytoreportvaluableinformationandsuggestionsfromtheinsideofanorganization.[2]Moreover,themiddlemanagerisachannelofcommunicationwithintheorganization,astheypassonmajordecisionsofexecutivesandthemaingoalsofanorganizationtolowerlevelsofemployees.Thiscontributestobettercoordinationbetweenworkersandmakesacompanymoreunited.[3] Primaryresponsibilityofamiddlemanageristoimplementastrategy,createdbytheexecutivelevel,inthemostefficientwaypossible.Inordertoreachthetargetgoals,amanagermayadjustandinterprettheinitialplan.[4]Otherfunctionscanbedividedintothreemaincategories:[5] Technical Middlemanagersareinchargeoffacilitatinganychangesneededinanorganizationandcreatinganeffectiveworkingenvironment.Theyadministerday-to-dayroutines,monitorsperformanceandmakesureeverythingisdoneincompliancewithorganization'sneeds.[6] Humanresources Oneofthemostimportantfunctionsofamiddlemanagerismotivating,leadingandinspiringtheirsubordinates.Thisalsoincludesbuildingateamandsupportinganyteammemberwhennecessary. Strategic Strategicfunctionsinvolveanalyzingasubordinategroupintermsofproductivityandfinancialeffectiveness,creatingastrategyofimprovingthecurrentsituationandreportingtotheexecutivemanagementintheformofattendingaboardroommeetingoradiscussion. Competencies[edit] Anumberofcompetenciescriticaltobecomeaneffectivemiddlemanager. Leadership.Themostimportantcompetencythatconsistsofmanyskills.Asaninherentleader,middlemanagershavetopossesssense-makingandpersuadingskills.Theymustbeabletomotivate,influenceandguidetheirsubordinates,becomearolemodelforthem,demonstratethequalityandthelevelofworkcontributionnecessaryfortheorganizationandengageincontinuousself-developmentandlearning.[6][7] Decision-making.Abilitytoquicklysolvetheproblems,makedecisionsunderpressureandtakeresponsibilityfortheoutcome. Creativity&Visioning.Managersshouldhaveaclearvisionofthestrategyimplementationandbecreativeinovercomingthepossibledifficulties.[5] Performancemanagement.Involvesmanagingtheperformanceofsubordinatesand,specifically,thelinemanagers,effectively,bysettingclearandmeasurableobjectivesforthemandprovidecoaching.Middlemanagersmustbealsoskilledinpresenting,persuadingandinfluencingpeople.[citationneeded] Middlemanagervs.linemanager[edit] Amiddlemanagementpositionisoftenmistakenlydescribedasasimilartothelinemanagementone.However,therearesomedifferences:[5] Middlemanagerisasemi-executiveposition–linemanagersarepromotedtobecomemiddlemanagers.Thus,middlemanagersenjoygreatersalary,benefitsandacloserpositiontoaboardroom. Systemofsubordination–linemanagersaresubordinatetomiddlemanagers.Middlemanagersareresponsibleforlargeteamsandareunabletocontrolperformanceofeverysingleindividual.Thus,directorlinemanagermeasurestheteamperformanceandreportstothemiddlemanager. Setofduties–unlikelinemanagers,whohaveaclearprocedureofworkandsetofduties,middlemanagershaveonlytargetgoals.Thewayofachievingthosegoalsisdecidedbymanagerindependently. Criticism[edit] Theroleofmiddlemanagementissubjectedtoanumberofcriticisms.Thispositionisoftenseenasunnecessaryandmiddlemanagersareblamedforholdingbacktheorganizationfromachievingitsfullpotentialandusingtheinfluencefortheirownpurposes. Influence[edit] Middlemanagementisoftenaccusedofpossessingtoomuchinfluence.Theircentricpositioninanorganizationallowstoinfluencestrategyandactionsin"bothupwardanddownwarddirection".[4]Whensupplyinginformationtotheexecutivelevel,middlemanagersinterpretitsubjectivelyandmayinsinuateitwiththeirownopinionandevaluation.[8]Further,proximitytotheboardroommakesiteasyforthemanagertopromotetheirowninterests,by"synthesizing"theinformationandpresentingdatafromacertainstrategicperspective.[9]Thesamelevelofinfluencecanbeexploitedbyamiddlemanagertowardsthelowerstaff.Drivenbythereasonsofmaintainingareputation,strengtheningthepowerandinfluence,middlemanagermayintroducecompany'smajorstrategicdecisionsinalight,beneficialwayfortheirdesigns.[10] Resistance[edit] Middlemanagers'reluctancetolosecontrolintheirteamsandsatisfactionwithasettledsituationcouldleadtotheirresistanceinanychangesinthestrategyordirectionofanorganization.Usually,theresistancedoesnottakeanaggressiveformsuchasrefusaltocarryouttasksorunconcealedconfrontation,butresultinalackofsupportandeagernesstoconveyonlythosetasks,impactofwhichisclearlyvisibletothetopmanagement.[11]Thiscreatesbarrierstoagrowthofacompanyandlagstheoverallworkingprocess. Necessity[edit] Theoverallnecessityofmiddlemanagersinanorganizationisquestioned.Theyaresaidtobetoocostly,non-effectiveandconstantlyunderperformingemployees.Ithasbeenstated[bywhom?]thatmiddlemanagersdonotcarryouttheirmaindutiesoflinkingtheorganizationandreportingeffectively,whichleadstoablockofcommunicationbetweendifferentlevelsofstaff.[12]Thus,asrapidgrowthofglobalizationputpressuresonbusinessesintermsofcosteffectivenessandspeedofinformationflowwithintheorganization,middlemanagementmakecompanieslessflexibleandcompetitive.[13] Future[edit] Developmentofinformationtechnologyenabledanincreaseinthespanofcontrolandreducedtheneedformiddlemanagement.Moreover,anincreasinglybignumberofmodernorganizationsbecomeflatteranddownsizedinthepursuitofflexibility,highercompetitivenessandinnovation.AccordingtoDavidWilliams,flatorganizationspromotegreaterintercommunicationandefficiencyoftheworkers.[14]Asaresult,manyorganizationsarebeingrestructured,middlemanagementisbeingreducedandtheirrolesarethoughttobeout-datedandunnecessary. Atthesametime,thereisstillaneedinamiddlemanagerasanemployeeandtheycontinueplayingasignificantroleinorganizations,specificallyinsettinganoverallstrategyandtargets.[15]Changesintheglobalmarketforcedthemtobecomemoreflexible,stress-resistant,acquirenewskills. References[edit] ^Dance,Anthony(2019).PragmaticIntroductiontoMiddleManagement.Amazon:eBookit.pp. 8–14.ASIN B07L4D3QB9. ^Likert,R(1961).NewPatternsofManagement.New-York:McGraw-Hill. ^Barnard,ChesterI.(1973).TheFunctionsoftheExecutive.London:OxfordUniversityPress. ^abFloyd,S.W.;Wooldridge,B.(1992)."Middlemanagementinvolvementinstrategyanditsassociationwithstrategictype:Aresearchnote".StrategicManagementJournal.13(S1):153–167.doi:10.1002/smj.4250131012. ^abcDance,Anthony(2011)."Theambiguityofthemiddlemanagementrole"(PDF).www.managerperformance.co.uk.ManagerPerformance.Archivedfromtheoriginal(PDF)on26November2013.Retrieved21October2014. ^abZhang,AnnYan;Tsui,AnneS.;Song,LyndaJiwen;Li,Chaoping;Jia,Liangding(2008)."HowdoItrustthee?Theemployee‐organizationrelationship,supervisorysupport,andmiddlemanagertrustintheorganization".HumanResourceManagement.47(1):111–132.doi:10.1002/hrm.20200. ^Rouleau,L.;Balogun,J.(2011)."Middlemanagers,strategicsensemaking,anddiscursivecompetence"(PDF).JournalofManagementStudies.48(5):953–983.doi:10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00941.x.S2CID 145090455. ^Ranson,S.;Hinings,B.;Greenwood,R.(1980)."Thestructuringoforganizationalstructures".AdministrativeScienceQuarterly.25(1):1–17.doi:10.2307/2392223.JSTOR 2392223. ^Dutton,J.E.;Duncan,R.B.(1987)."Theinfluenceofthestrategicplanningprocessonstrategicchange".StrategicManagementJournal.8(2):103–116.doi:10.1002/smj.4250080202. ^Floyd,StevenW.;Wooldridge,Bill(1997)."Middlemanagement'sstrategicinfluenceandorganizationalperformance".JournalofManagementStudies.3(34):466–482.doi:10.1111/1467-6486.00059. ^Connors,J.L.;Romberg,T.A.(1991)."Middlemanagementandqualitycontrol:Strategiesforobstructionism".HumanOrganization.50:61–65.doi:10.17730/humo.50.1.2w81h2l600260704. ^Scarbrough,H.;Burrell,G.(1996).Clegg,S.;Palmer,G.(eds.)."TheAxemanCometh:thechangingroleandknowledgeofmiddlemanagers".ThePoliticsofManagementKnowledge. ^Dopson,S.;Stewart,R.(1993)."Informationtechnology,organizationalrestructuringandthefutureofmiddlemanagement".NewTechnology,WorkandEmployment.1(8):10–20.doi:10.1111/j.1468-005X.1993.tb00030.x. ^Williams,David."TheEndOfMiddleManagers(AndWhyThey'llNeverBeMissed)".forbes.com.Retrieved26October2014. ^Balogun,J(2003)."FromBlamingtheMiddletoHarnessingitsPotential:CreatingChangeIntermediaries".BritishJournalofManagement.14(1):69–83.doi:10.1111/1467-8551.00266. Externallinks[edit] MelissaKorn(5August2013)."WhatIt'sLikeBeingaMiddleManagerToday".TheWallStreetJournal. FreekHermkens(3June2020)Middlemanagersarekeyforleanchangeinfinancialservices vteManagement Outlineofbusinessmanagement Indexofmanagementarticles Bytypeoforganization Academic Association Business Restaurant Healthcare Military Public Byfocus(withinanorganization)ByscopeStrategic(top-level) Capability Change Communication Financial Innovation Legal Performance Risk Systems Bycomponent Facility Product Productlifecycle Brand Program Project Construction ByactivityordepartmentmanagedLine Marketing Operations/production Process Quality Sales Staff Accounting Office Records Byaspectorrelationship Customerrelationship Engineering Logistics Perception Supplychain Talent Byproblem Conflict Crisis Stress Byresource Environmentalresource Fieldinventory Humanresources Information Informationtechnology Knowledge Land Materials Skills Technology Time Managementpositions Interim Middle Senior Methodsandapproaches Adhocracy Collaborativemethod Distributed Earnedvaluemanagement Evidence-basedmanagement FullRangeofLeadershipModel Managementbyobjectives Managementstyle Macromanagement Micromanagement Scientificmanagement Socialentrepreneurship Teambuilding Virtualmanagement Managementskillsandactivities Decision-making Forecasting Leadership Pioneersandscholars PeterDrucker EliyahuM.Goldratt OliverE.Williamson Education AssociationofTechnology,Management,andAppliedEngineering Businessschool CertifiedBusinessManager CharteredManagementInstitute Criticalmanagementstudies Degrees BachelorofBusinessAdministration MasterofBusinessAdministration PhDinmanagement Other Administration Collaboration Corporategovernance Executivecompensation Managementconsulting Managementcontrol Managementcybernetics Managementdevelopment Managementfad Managementsystem Managerialeconomics Managerialpsychology Managerialism Organizationdevelopment Organizationalbehaviormanagement Pointy-hairedBoss Williamson'smodelofmanagerialdiscretion Systemsscienceportal Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Middle_management&oldid=1109405456" Categories:ManagementoccupationsHiddencategories:AllarticleswithunsourcedstatementsArticleswithunsourcedstatementsfromDecember2019Articleswithspecificallymarkedweasel-wordedphrasesfromJune2018 Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk English Views ReadEditViewhistory More Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Languages AfrikaansالعربيةDeutschفارسیFrançais客家語/Hak-kâ-ngî한국어Nederlands日本語NorskbokmålNorsknynorskSvenskaTürkçe粵語中文 Editlinks