ABSTRACT

The use of political skill to further employees’ self-interests and their ability to cope with ambiguity and employment vulnerability during periods of organizational change is an important yet under researched phenomenon. Taking a middle management perspective, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the experiences of Richard, a newly appointed professional youth football Academy Manager during the process of organizational change. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, formal academy team meetings, co-worker interviews, and informal observations and conversations, which were analyzed through the process of narrative analysis. Findings highlighted the hierarchical sensemaking challenges of vertically ‘managing up’ (e.g. Chairman, Board of Directors, 1st Team Manager) and ‘managing down’ (e.g. academy employees), and horizontally ‘managing across’ (e.g. Head of Coaching) during the process of organizational change. Importantly, managing expectations and influencing significant others, through skilled micro-political activity, was central to successfully negotiating the ambiguity and vulnerabilities of organizational life during change.

MAD statement

This study is the first to examine the micro-political actions and behaviours of middle managers as both recipients and deliverers of organizational change. The self-interests of middle-managers tend to influence strategic change; however, we do not understand how middle-managers make sense of the micro-political nature of such interests during change. This study highlights the complexity of coping with employment vulnerability when negotiating and influencing the actions of senior management whilst also supporting subordinate staff with resistance and uncertainty during change. Furthermore, the micro-political actions and strategies of a middle-manager to develop ‘trust’ amongst colleagues, both vertically ‘above’ and ‘below’ them, and horizontally ‘across’ from them in the organizational hierarchy, are evidenced.

摘要

在组织变革期间，使用政治技能来促进员工的自身利益以及他们应对模糊和就业脆弱性的能力是一个重要但尚待研究的现象。从中层管理人员的角度，本文旨在调查新上任的职业青年足球学院经理理查德在组织变革过程中的经历。通过半结构化访谈、正式的学院团队会议、同事访谈以及非正式的观察和对话收集数据，并通过叙事分析过程对其进行分析。调查结果强调了分层获取意义的挑战垂直在组织变革过程中，“向上管理”（例如董事长、董事会、第一团队经理）和“向下管理”（例如学院员工）以及横向“管理”（例如教练主管）。重要的是，通过熟练的微观政治活动来管理期望和影响其他重要人物，对于在变革过程中成功解决组织生活的模糊性和脆弱性至关重要。

疯狂声明

本研究首次考察了作为组织变革接受者和传递者的中层管理人员的微观政治行动和行为。中层管理人员的自身利益往往会影响战略变革；然而，我们不明白中层管理人员在变革过程中如何理解这些利益的微观政治性质。本研究强调了在谈判和影响高级管理层的行动时应对就业脆弱性的复杂性，同时还支持下属员工在变革过程中遇到阻力和不确定性。此外，中层管理者在同事之间建立“信任”的微观政治行动和策略，无论是在他们的纵向“上方”还是“下方”，以及在组织层次结构中横向“跨越”他们，都得到了证明。