Middle Managers and Dilemmas in the Organisation
A Bibliometric Review
Abstract
Middle managers, it turns out, can assist a business in implementing significant changes and achieving its vision and goals by facilitating top management’s communication with lower managers or subordinates. This study aims to analyse bibliometric measures relevant to middle managers and dilemmas by examining publishing trends, delving into information about the trending of authors’ keywords, probing into conceptual evolution, and determining future research directions for this subject using the Scopus database. This study uses three bibliometric software to analyse the bibliographic data: ScientoPy, VOSviewer, and SciMAT. Over 56 years, this study found that publication growth is minimal, with the number of top publications being 32 in 2020. Scopus bibliographic databases depicted the United States as the most active country, with 114 publications co-authored by authors from the United Kingdom, Canada, Russian Federation, Italy, and Hong Kong. Denmark has published 29% of the total publications based on the last two years’ publications. The analysis of the authors’ keywords found that “Middle-managers”, “Leadership”, “Middle Management”, “Management,” and “Organisational change” were enumerated in the top five. The keyword “Middle-managers” has a close association with “leadership”, “management”, and “organisational change”. Based on thematic evolution, “Health”, “Anchoring-effect”, “Developing-countries”, “Communication-skills”, and “Health-care” became the newly emerging themes found from 2011 to 2022. In conclusion, this study could contextualise prior research on this subject and build a scientifically sound evidence-based practice paradigm for future research. Also, this study will expand our understanding of middle managers and associated dilemmas.
References
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Cantarelli, P., Bellé, N., & Belardinelli, P. (2020). Behavioral public HR: Experimental evidence on cognitive biases and debiasing interventions. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 40(1), 56-81.
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Döös, M., Johansson, P., & Wilhelmson, L. (2015). Beyond being present: Learning-oriented leadership in the daily work of middle managers. Journal of Workplace Learning, 27(6), 408-425.
Fryer, A. K., Tucker, A. L., & Singer, S. J. (2018). The impact of middle manager affective commitment on perceived improvement program implementation success. Health Care Management Review, 43(3), 218-228.
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Gualandi, R., Masella, C., Viglione, D., & Tartaglini, D. (2020). Challenges and potential improvements in hospital patient flow: the contribution of frontline, top and middle management professionals. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 34(8), 829-848.
Hirte, R. (2018). The role of middle managers in the implementation of a corporate incubator: A case study in the automotive sector. Technology Innovation Management Review, 8(7), 31-39.
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McKenna, S. D. (1994). Leveraging Complexity: The Middle Manager′ s Dilemma. The Learning Organization, 1(2), 6-14.
Mintzberg, H. (1978). Patterns in strategy formation. Management Science, 24(9), 934-948.
Palmatier, R. W., Houston, M. B., & Hulland, J. (2018). Review articles: Purpose, process, and structure. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46(1), 1-5.
Ponomariov, B., & Boardman, C. (2016). What is co-authorship?. Scientometrics, 109(3), 1939-1963.
Ramli, A. H. (2018). Manage of job stress and measure employee performance in health services. Business and Entrepreneurial Review, 18(1), 53-64.
Rouleau, L. (2005). Micro‐practices of strategic sensemaking and sensegiving: How middle managers interpret and sell change every day. Journal of Management Studies, 42(7), 1413-1441.
Ruiz-Rosero, J., Ramírez-González, G., & Viveros-Delgado, J. (2019). Software survey: ScientoPy, a scientometric tool for topics trend analysis in scientific publications. Scientometrics, 121(2), 1165-1188.
Sofyan, D., & Abdullah, K. H. (2022). Scientific developments in educational innovation research in Indonesia and Malaysia: A scientometric review. International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research, 1(1), 42-51.
Stoker, J. I. (2006). Leading middle management: consequences of organisational changes for tasks and behaviours of middle managers. Journal of general management, 32(1), 31-42.
Ugoani, J. N. N. (2021). Outcomes of the challenges of middle management in the cross-fires of top and lower management. Saaransh RKG Journal of Management, 13(1), 1-14.
Van Eck, N., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523-538.
Vogel, R., & Güttel, W. H. (2013). The dynamic capability view in strategic management: A bibliometric review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(4), 426-446.
Way, S. A., Simons, T., Leroy, H., & Tuleja, E. A. (2018). What is in it for me? Middle manager behavioral integrity and performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 150(3), 765-777.
Wu, G., Hu, Z., & Zheng, J. (2019). Role stress, job burnout, and job performance in construction project managers: the moderating role of career calling. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 1-20.
Zheng, X., Liu, X., Liao, H., Qin, X., & Ni, D. (2022). How and when top manager authentic leadership influences team voice: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Business Research, 145, 144-155.
Zibenberg, A. (2021). The interaction between personal values and perception of organisational politics in predicting stress levels of staff members in academic institutions. The Journal of Psychology, 155(5), 489-504.
Abdullah, K. H., Gazali, N., Abd Aziz, F. S., Syam, E., Muzawi, R., Rio, U., ... & Nazirun, N. (2022). Six decades of publication performances and scientific maps on sports nutrition. Journal Sport Area, 7(1), 1-22.
Abdullah, K. H., Hashim, M. N., & Abd Aziz, F. S. (2020). A 39 years (1980-2019) bibliometric analysis of safety leadership research. TEST Engineering and Management, 83, 4526-4542.
Belasen, A., & Belasen, A. R. (2016). Value in the middle: Cultivating middle managers in healthcare organisations. Journal of Management Development, 39(5), 1149-1162.
Birken, S., Clary, A., Tabriz, A. A., Turner, K., Meza, R., Zizzi, A., ... & Charns, M. (2018). Middle managers’ role in implementing evidence-based practices in healthcare: A systematic review. Implementation Science, 13(1), 1-14.
Blank, C., Gatterer, K., Leichtfried, V., Pollhammer, D., Mair-Raggautz, M., Duschek, S., ... & Schobersberger, W. (2018). Short vacation improves stress-level and well-being in German-speaking middle-managers-A randomised controlled trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(1), 1-11.
Bossmann, U., Ditzen, B., & Schweitzer, J. (2016). Organisational stress and dilemma management in mid-level industrial executives: An exploratory study. Mental Health & Prevention, 4(1), 9-18.
Buick, F., Blackman, D., & Johnson, S. (2018). Enabling middle managers as change agents: Why organisational support needs to change. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 77(2), 222-235.
Cantarelli, P., Bellé, N., & Belardinelli, P. (2020). Behavioral public HR: Experimental evidence on cognitive biases and debiasing interventions. Review of Public Personnel Administration, 40(1), 56-81.
Cobo, M. J., López-Herrera, A. G., Herrera-Viedma, E., & Herrera, F. (2011). An approach for detecting, quantifying, and visualising the evolution of a research field: A practical application to the Fuzzy Sets Theory field. Journal of informetrics, 5(1), 146-166.
Döös, M., Johansson, P., & Wilhelmson, L. (2015). Beyond being present: Learning-oriented leadership in the daily work of middle managers. Journal of Workplace Learning, 27(6), 408-425.
Fryer, A. K., Tucker, A. L., & Singer, S. J. (2018). The impact of middle manager affective commitment on perceived improvement program implementation success. Health Care Management Review, 43(3), 218-228.
Gjellebæk, C., Svensson, A., Bjørkquist, C., Fladeby, N., & Grundén, K. (2020). Management challenges for future digitalisation of healthcare services. Futures, 124, 1-10.
Groskovs, S., & Ulhøi, J. P. (2019). The middle manager in search of business model innovation. Journal of Business Strategy, 40(4), 3-10.
Gualandi, R., Masella, C., Viglione, D., & Tartaglini, D. (2020). Challenges and potential improvements in hospital patient flow: the contribution of frontline, top and middle management professionals. Journal of Health Organization and Management, 34(8), 829-848.
Hirte, R. (2018). The role of middle managers in the implementation of a corporate incubator: A case study in the automotive sector. Technology Innovation Management Review, 8(7), 31-39.
Ibidunni, A. S. (2020). Exploring knowledge dimensions for improving performance in organisations. Journal of Workplace Learning, 32(1), 76-93.
Koon, V. Y. (2021). Bibliometric analyses on the emergence and present growth of humanistic management. International Journal of Ethics and Systems, 37(4), 581-598.
Kras, K. R., Rudes, D. S., & Taxman, F. S. (2017). Managing up and down: Community corrections middle managers’ role conflict and ambiguity during organisational change. Journal of Crime and Justice, 40(2), 173-187.
Lampaki, A., & Papadakis, V. (2018). The impact of organisational politics and trust in the top management team on strategic decision implementation success: A middle-manager’s perspective. European Management Journal, 36(5), 627-637.
Landells, E. M., & Albrecht, S. L. (2019). Perceived organisational politics, engagement, and stress: The mediating influence of meaningful work. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1-12.
Marshall, S. G. (2012). Educational middle change leadership in New Zealand: The meat in the sandwich. International Journal of Educational Management, 26(6), 502-528.
McKenna, S. D. (1994). Leveraging Complexity: The Middle Manager′ s Dilemma. The Learning Organization, 1(2), 6-14.
Mintzberg, H. (1978). Patterns in strategy formation. Management Science, 24(9), 934-948.
Palmatier, R. W., Houston, M. B., & Hulland, J. (2018). Review articles: Purpose, process, and structure. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 46(1), 1-5.
Ponomariov, B., & Boardman, C. (2016). What is co-authorship?. Scientometrics, 109(3), 1939-1963.
Ramli, A. H. (2018). Manage of job stress and measure employee performance in health services. Business and Entrepreneurial Review, 18(1), 53-64.
Rouleau, L. (2005). Micro‐practices of strategic sensemaking and sensegiving: How middle managers interpret and sell change every day. Journal of Management Studies, 42(7), 1413-1441.
Ruiz-Rosero, J., Ramírez-González, G., & Viveros-Delgado, J. (2019). Software survey: ScientoPy, a scientometric tool for topics trend analysis in scientific publications. Scientometrics, 121(2), 1165-1188.
Sofyan, D., & Abdullah, K. H. (2022). Scientific developments in educational innovation research in Indonesia and Malaysia: A scientometric review. International Journal of Educational Innovation and Research, 1(1), 42-51.
Stoker, J. I. (2006). Leading middle management: consequences of organisational changes for tasks and behaviours of middle managers. Journal of general management, 32(1), 31-42.
Ugoani, J. N. N. (2021). Outcomes of the challenges of middle management in the cross-fires of top and lower management. Saaransh RKG Journal of Management, 13(1), 1-14.
Van Eck, N., & Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523-538.
Vogel, R., & Güttel, W. H. (2013). The dynamic capability view in strategic management: A bibliometric review. International Journal of Management Reviews, 15(4), 426-446.
Way, S. A., Simons, T., Leroy, H., & Tuleja, E. A. (2018). What is in it for me? Middle manager behavioral integrity and performance. Journal of Business Ethics, 150(3), 765-777.
Wu, G., Hu, Z., & Zheng, J. (2019). Role stress, job burnout, and job performance in construction project managers: the moderating role of career calling. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(13), 1-20.
Zheng, X., Liu, X., Liao, H., Qin, X., & Ni, D. (2022). How and when top manager authentic leadership influences team voice: A moderated mediation model. Journal of Business Research, 145, 144-155.
Zibenberg, A. (2021). The interaction between personal values and perception of organisational politics in predicting stress levels of staff members in academic institutions. The Journal of Psychology, 155(5), 489-504.
Published
2022-06-01
How to Cite
ABDULLAH, Khairul Hafezad; SOFYAN, Davi.
Middle Managers and Dilemmas in the Organisation.
Asian Journal of Research in Business and Management, [S.l.], v. 4, n. 2, p. 35-49, june 2022.
Available at: <https://myjms.mohe.gov.my/index.php/ajrbm/article/view/18067>. Date accessed: 13 oct. 2024.
Section
Articles
