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Handbook of Middle Management Strategy Process Research
The premise of this volume is that the complex social processes that animate strategic decisions involve not only top-level executives, but also middle managers distributed throughout the organization. Designed for doctoral students and others interested in middle managers and strategy process, the Handbook integrates the threads of scholarly work in this domain and charts a course for future research. Chapters are written both by scholars who have ‘paved the way’ for the middle management perspective and scholars who have done recent, cutting edge research from this point of view.
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Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
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With contributions from some of the field’s most influential scholars, this Handbook provides a path forward for students and researchers interested in strategy process research from a middle management perspective. This groundbreaking Handbook both reviews existing theory and explores new ground concerning key issues surrounding middle managers’ influence on strategy making.
Split into five distinct sections, the book explicates the unit of analysis and presents foundational theories, emerging models, cutting-edge methods, and original empirical research in strategy process research. Contributors with diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives identify and address a wide range of research issues relevant to middle managers’ participation in strategy making, such as social network analysis and video methodology. Standout chapters include one on complex strategic integration by Robert A. Burgelman and one on the development of theory by Henry Mintzberg.
This Handbook is a must-read for academics interested in strategy process research as it suggests novel research approaches for addressing relevant phenomena and provides an up-to-date review of the extant literature in the area.
Split into five distinct sections, the book explicates the unit of analysis and presents foundational theories, emerging models, cutting-edge methods, and original empirical research in strategy process research. Contributors with diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives identify and address a wide range of research issues relevant to middle managers’ participation in strategy making, such as social network analysis and video methodology. Standout chapters include one on complex strategic integration by Robert A. Burgelman and one on the development of theory by Henry Mintzberg.
This Handbook is a must-read for academics interested in strategy process research as it suggests novel research approaches for addressing relevant phenomena and provides an up-to-date review of the extant literature in the area.
Critical Acclaim
‘Floyd and Wooldridge’s edited volume is a literal tour de force that guides the reader through the “wilds” of middle manager strategy process research. Chapters from top scholars examine all aspects of this complex field: from reviewing and updating its foundations; to evaluating current conflicts, gaps and methods; to identifying new, insightful theoretical and empirical directions that illuminate exciting paths forward. The Handbook of Middle Management Strategy Process Research is an essential source for newly minted scholars, who should read it straight through, and for “old hands” at strategy process who want the very latest thinking.’
– Richard L. Priem, Texas Christian University, US
‘It was Steve Floyd and Bill Wooldridge who first established the role of middle managers in strategy as a research field. Now they bring together the field’s leading authorities to challenge orthodoxies and propose radically new perspectives and methodologies for research. This collection sets a vigorous and innovative agenda for future research in the field.’
– Richard Whittington, University of Oxford, UK
– Richard L. Priem, Texas Christian University, US
‘It was Steve Floyd and Bill Wooldridge who first established the role of middle managers in strategy as a research field. Now they bring together the field’s leading authorities to challenge orthodoxies and propose radically new perspectives and methodologies for research. This collection sets a vigorous and innovative agenda for future research in the field.’
– Richard Whittington, University of Oxford, UK
Contributors
Contributors: Y. Ahn, S.J. Ashford, N.Y. Ateş, J. Balogun, R.A. Burgelman, N. Burgess, X. Castañer, D.G. Cohen, G. Currie, S.W. Floyd, P.T. Gibbons, Y. Guo, P. Gylfe, C. Heavey, Q.N. Huy, G.D. Keeves, D.F. Kuratko, J. Mair, S. Mantere, H. Mintzberg, S. Nair, M. Ong, A.M.L. Raes, L. Rouleau, T. Schmid, A. Sharma, M. Tarakci, K. van Vlijmen, R. Wang, C. Wolf, W. Wooldridge, H. Yu
Contents
Contents:
Introduction
Steven W. Floyd and Bill Wooldridge
Part I: The Unit of Analysis
1. The Role of Middle and Top Managers in the Strategy Process
Xavier Castañer and Howard Yu
2. Functions of the Mezzanine
Anurag Sharma
3. Some Middle Managers are More Influential Than Others: An Approach for Identifying Strategic Influence
Bill Wooldridge and Steven W. Floyd
Part II: Explorations of Existing Theory
4. The Role of Issue Selling in Effective Strategy Making
Susan J. Ashford, Madeline Ong, Gareth D. Keeves
5. Strategy-as-Practice Research on Middle Managers and Sensemaking
Juila Balogun and Linda Rouleau
6. Middle Managers’ Emotion Management in the Strategy Process
Quy Nguyen Huy and Yidi Guo
7. Middle Managers: The Lynchpins in the Corporate Entrepreneurship Process
Donald F. Kuratko
Part III: Theoretical Developments
8. Developing Theory about the Development of Theory
Henry Mintzberg
9. Complex Strategic Integration at Nike: Strategy Process and Strategy-as-Practice Combined
Robert A. Burgelman
10. A Conceptual Framework of Middle Managers’ Strategic Role Flexibility
Ruifang Wang, Patrick T. Gibbons, Ciaran Heavey
11. Mintzberg’s Pattern: Middle Managers in Polyphonic Strategy Process
Saku Mantere
12. Middle Management Engagement in Strategic Planning Routines: A Mindfulness Perspective
Carola Wolf
Part IV: Methodological Alternatives
13. Middle Management and Strategy Process: Toward a Pluralistic Theory of Power
Torsten Schmid
14. Measuring the Middle: The Use of Social Network Analysis in Middle Management Research
David G. Cohen and Sudhir Nair
15. Choreographies We Strategize By: Using Video Methodology in the Study of Embodiment
Philip Gylfe
Part V: Empirical Explorations
16. A Psychological Perspective on Middle Managers’ Strategic Championing Behavior
Nüfer Yasin Ates, Murat Tarakci, Yoojung Ahn, Steven W. Floyd and Bill Wooldridge
17. The Knowledge Brokering Role of Middle Managers: The Case of Hybrid Middle Managers in a Professionalalized Organization
Graeme Currie and Nicola Burgess
18. Middle Managers and Corporate Entrepreneurship: Unpacking Strategic Roles and Assessing Performance Implications
Johanna Mair
19. The Interface of Top and Middle Managers: Taking Stock and Moving Forward
Anneloes M. L. Raes and Koen van Vlijmen
Index
Introduction
Steven W. Floyd and Bill Wooldridge
Part I: The Unit of Analysis
1. The Role of Middle and Top Managers in the Strategy Process
Xavier Castañer and Howard Yu
2. Functions of the Mezzanine
Anurag Sharma
3. Some Middle Managers are More Influential Than Others: An Approach for Identifying Strategic Influence
Bill Wooldridge and Steven W. Floyd
Part II: Explorations of Existing Theory
4. The Role of Issue Selling in Effective Strategy Making
Susan J. Ashford, Madeline Ong, Gareth D. Keeves
5. Strategy-as-Practice Research on Middle Managers and Sensemaking
Juila Balogun and Linda Rouleau
6. Middle Managers’ Emotion Management in the Strategy Process
Quy Nguyen Huy and Yidi Guo
7. Middle Managers: The Lynchpins in the Corporate Entrepreneurship Process
Donald F. Kuratko
Part III: Theoretical Developments
8. Developing Theory about the Development of Theory
Henry Mintzberg
9. Complex Strategic Integration at Nike: Strategy Process and Strategy-as-Practice Combined
Robert A. Burgelman
10. A Conceptual Framework of Middle Managers’ Strategic Role Flexibility
Ruifang Wang, Patrick T. Gibbons, Ciaran Heavey
11. Mintzberg’s Pattern: Middle Managers in Polyphonic Strategy Process
Saku Mantere
12. Middle Management Engagement in Strategic Planning Routines: A Mindfulness Perspective
Carola Wolf
Part IV: Methodological Alternatives
13. Middle Management and Strategy Process: Toward a Pluralistic Theory of Power
Torsten Schmid
14. Measuring the Middle: The Use of Social Network Analysis in Middle Management Research
David G. Cohen and Sudhir Nair
15. Choreographies We Strategize By: Using Video Methodology in the Study of Embodiment
Philip Gylfe
Part V: Empirical Explorations
16. A Psychological Perspective on Middle Managers’ Strategic Championing Behavior
Nüfer Yasin Ates, Murat Tarakci, Yoojung Ahn, Steven W. Floyd and Bill Wooldridge
17. The Knowledge Brokering Role of Middle Managers: The Case of Hybrid Middle Managers in a Professionalalized Organization
Graeme Currie and Nicola Burgess
18. Middle Managers and Corporate Entrepreneurship: Unpacking Strategic Roles and Assessing Performance Implications
Johanna Mair
19. The Interface of Top and Middle Managers: Taking Stock and Moving Forward
Anneloes M. L. Raes and Koen van Vlijmen
Index
