To determine how Middle Management can be effective as a change agent

Doyle, Ray (2015) To determine how Middle Management can be effective as a change agent. Masters thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Organisational change has become one of the most important skills for businesses to learn in the current environment. However, the vast majority of them fail. The middle managers are regularly highlighted as being the principal reason for this failure, due to their inability to implement change. The purpose of this research is to determine how middle management can be effective as a change agent. It will present the challenges middle management face. It will elucidate why resistance to change may exist and provide solutions with supporting evidence on how to overcome this resistance. It will examine middle managements role is achieving success in a change initiative and uncover the subtle obstacles that prevent them from delivering change for the organisation.

A qualitative case study was performed in the telecoms industry. This industry was chosen as it has a rich history of transformation. Through the use of semi-structured interviews and reflective journals which contained participant observations, data was gathered to interrogate the middle management hurdles in the change arena.

The results indicated a lack of inclusion from the senior executives. There was poor and ineffective communication with little opportunity to influence the change strategy or provide feedback. It uncovered how company loyalty can evolve and challenges the organisation to harness it.

Middle managers perform a number of extra roles on top of their normal duties. They want change to succeed and have the most influencing effect on the workforce. They can provide key learnings and feedback to the architects of change. They need to be engaged and given the tools and support to enable them to be effective change agents. In this era of perpetual and rapid change, it is vital for businesses to implement change successfully. Their future may depend on it.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD28 Management. Industrial Management > Management of Change H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > Specific Industries > Telecommunications Industry
Divisions:	School of Business > Master of Business Administration
Depositing User:	Caoimhe Ní Mhaicín
Date Deposited:	13 Oct 2015 16:47
Last Modified:	13 Oct 2015 16:47
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/2082

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