Middle managers’ strategising practices to effect strategic change

Article


van Niekerk, K. and Jansen van Rensburg, M. 2022. Middle managers’ strategising practices to effect strategic change. Journal of Change Management. 22 (3), pp. 273-291. https://doi.org/10.1080/14697017.2022.2040572
TypeArticle
TitleMiddle managers’ strategising practices to effect strategic change
Authorsvan Niekerk, K. and Jansen van Rensburg, M.
Abstract

Strategic organizational changes in the higher education sector are costly and resource intensive but considered crucial for the longevity and feasibility of organizations in this sector. Faced with major reforms of government-imposed funding, pressures from internationalization, digitalization and globalization, many Higher Educational Institutions had to reconsider governance, organizational structures and the roles and responsibilities of actors. The purpose of the empirical qualitative research study was to investigate the professional middle managers’ strategising practices to effect strategic change. The study context was a South African higher education institution undergoing substantial organizational change due to an institutional restructuring. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to describe participants’ cognitive, emotional, and physical nature which confirmed six holistic and comprehensive strategising practices namely adapting, effecting change, collaborating, mobilizing, peacekeeping and overseeing. The findings confirmed that strategising practices were not the result of actions only but were also influenced by cognitive, rational, and emotional experiences.
MAD statement
Change is difficult for everyone, but even more so for middle managers who are not only strategy implementors but also recipients of change. Findings provide insight to how middle managers handle change contexts in which changes are multiple and overlapping.

KeywordsMiddle manager perspective; strategic change; practices; strategising; strategy as practice (SAP)
PublisherTaylor and Francis
JournalJournal of Change Management
ISSN1469-7017
Electronic1479-1811
Publication dates
Online17 Feb 2022
Print03 Jul 2022
Publication process dates
Deposited28 Feb 2022
Accepted15 Feb 2022
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Change Management on 17 Feb 2022, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14697017.2022.2040572

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1080/14697017.2022.2040572
Web of Science identifierWOS:000757170800001
LanguageEnglish
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