The Work of Managers in New Organizational Contexts
The work of managers in new organizational contexts
The Authors
Judith Ann Chapman, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, Australia
Abstract
Focuses on the work of managers in new forms of organisations which are flexible, horizontally integrated, and decentralised. Although much has been written about managers, including their roles, functions, and skills, the organisational context is changing, and new perspectives are needed. A process perspective is a way of understanding the work of managers in these contexts. The paper suggests two pivotal management processes, the exercise of judgment and the use of influence, through which managers add value to more general organisational processes. Some directions for research are suggested and a classroom exercise for introducing graduate students to this topic area is outlined.
Article Type:
Conceptual Paper
Keyword(s): Management; Process management; Organizations; Influence.
Journal: Journal of Management Development
Volume: 20
Number: 1
Year: 2001 pp: 55-68
Copyright ©MCB UP Ltd
ISSN: 0262-1711
Introduction
Managers occupy the middle ground in organisations. At one and the same time they create and maintain a superstructure while shaping the behaviour of others within and around it. By actively and purposively linking these different levels in the system, managers progress the action and play their part in the unfolding history of the organisation. “What do managers really do?” is a question that echoes through the management literature. This paper is another, hopefully welcome, attempt to address it.
Certainly, much has already been written during the past century about the functions, roles, skills and competencies of managers, including Fayol’s original book of 1916 and the major contributions of Mintzberg, Stewart, Kotter and others. However, reviews of the field have revealed a lack of conceptual clarity and many inconsistencies among the various formulations (Wren, 1994; Carroll and Gillen,
The Authors
Judith Ann Chapman, University of Western Sydney, Richmond, Australia
Abstract
Focuses on the work of managers in new forms of organisations which are flexible, horizontally integrated, and decentralised. Although much has been written about managers, including their roles, functions, and skills, the organisational context is changing, and new perspectives are needed. A process perspective is a way of understanding the work of managers in these contexts. The paper suggests two pivotal management processes, the exercise of judgment and the use of influence, through which managers add value to more general organisational processes. Some directions for research are suggested and a classroom exercise for introducing graduate students to this topic area is outlined.
Article Type:
Conceptual Paper
Keyword(s): Management; Process management; Organizations; Influence.
Journal: Journal of Management Development
Volume: 20
Number: 1
Year: 2001 pp: 55-68
Copyright ©MCB UP Ltd
ISSN: 0262-1711
Introduction
Managers occupy the middle ground in organisations. At one and the same time they create and maintain a superstructure while shaping the behaviour of others within and around it. By actively and purposively linking these different levels in the system, managers progress the action and play their part in the unfolding history of the organisation. “What do managers really do?” is a question that echoes through the management literature. This paper is another, hopefully welcome, attempt to address it.
Certainly, much has already been written during the past century about the functions, roles, skills and competencies of managers, including Fayol’s original book of 1916 and the major contributions of Mintzberg, Stewart, Kotter and others. However, reviews of the field have revealed a lack of conceptual clarity and many inconsistencies among the various formulations (Wren, 1994; Carroll and Gillen,