{"title":"The “active struggle” of the hybrid middle manager: exploring the notion of ethical resistance","authors":"Mervyn Conroy, Steve Kempster, Robyn Remke","doi":"10.1108/jmd-07-2023-0215","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\n<p>This paper brings attention to the role of hybrid middle managers. In particular it explores the relationship of organisational purpose and role requirements.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\n<p>The primary research question for the original research was: What does it mean to hybrid managers to lead and deal with imposed changes (restructuring) to services? A novel narrative approach based on a synthesis of Czarniawska, Gabriel and Boje was applied. Accounts from interviews were condensed into narratives by initially using the categories defined by Gabriel (2000) as epic, tragic, comic and romantic and then further categorised into stories, themes and a serial (Czarniawska, 1997). The final stage of the three-way synthesised narrative approach incorporated Boje’s (2001) notion of “antenarrative” to include pre-emplotment elements.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Findings</h3>\n<p>Four narratives are provided that give insight to the nature of the struggles the hybrid middle managers were in the midst of. A struggle to address incongruent demands being placed on them that cause tension with their sense of purpose, organisational goals and their hybrid clinical roles and management roles. In the midst of these struggles the narratives illustrate the dynamic of ethical resistance that seeks a way forward. However, this appears to come at a health and well-being cost to the middle managers.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Originality/value</h3>\n<p>The paper offers up the notion of an added third bind to the traditional double, that of “ethical resistance”, a struggle to align organisational purpose with clinical and management role requirements. Theorising this third bind provides a new insight into understanding the context and dynamics of the hybrid middle manager role and behaviour. Indeed, the idea of ethical resistance may cause a revision of how resistance is understood.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":48006,"journal":{"name":"JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/jmd-07-2023-0215","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"MANAGEMENT","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
This paper brings attention to the role of hybrid middle managers. In particular it explores the relationship of organisational purpose and role requirements.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary research question for the original research was: What does it mean to hybrid managers to lead and deal with imposed changes (restructuring) to services? A novel narrative approach based on a synthesis of Czarniawska, Gabriel and Boje was applied. Accounts from interviews were condensed into narratives by initially using the categories defined by Gabriel (2000) as epic, tragic, comic and romantic and then further categorised into stories, themes and a serial (Czarniawska, 1997). The final stage of the three-way synthesised narrative approach incorporated Boje’s (2001) notion of “antenarrative” to include pre-emplotment elements.
Findings
Four narratives are provided that give insight to the nature of the struggles the hybrid middle managers were in the midst of. A struggle to address incongruent demands being placed on them that cause tension with their sense of purpose, organisational goals and their hybrid clinical roles and management roles. In the midst of these struggles the narratives illustrate the dynamic of ethical resistance that seeks a way forward. However, this appears to come at a health and well-being cost to the middle managers.
Originality/value
The paper offers up the notion of an added third bind to the traditional double, that of “ethical resistance”, a struggle to align organisational purpose with clinical and management role requirements. Theorising this third bind provides a new insight into understanding the context and dynamics of the hybrid middle manager role and behaviour. Indeed, the idea of ethical resistance may cause a revision of how resistance is understood.
期刊介绍:
■Competence-based management development ■Developing leadership skills ■Developing women for management ■Global management ■The new technology of management development The Journal of Management Development draws together the thinking and research relating to the role played by managers in their immediate environment, and the ways in which they can widen their responsibilities to take on larger roles. Many companies now appreciate that investment in management development helps to reduce costs, increase sales and improve productivity - so it"s well worth investigating.