The Antecedents of Middle Managers’ Strategic Contribution: The Case of a Professional Bureaucracy
研究英国国家医疗服务体系中中层管理者的角色转变，发现专业官僚制环境限制了其战略贡献，但社会化过程可缓解角色冲突与模糊性。
abstract Our study contributes towards a burgeoning literature that argues organizational performance is heavily influenced by what happens in the middle of the organization, rather than at the top. Examining the UK National Health Service, our study develops the work of Floyd and Wooldridge (1992 , 1994 , 1997 , 2000 ). It utilizes role theory to conceptualize changing experiences of middle managers in organizations as a role transition. Associated with this are problems of role conflict and role ambiguity ( Biddle, 1979 , 1986 ; Biddle and Thomas, 1966 ; Kahn et al., 1964 , 1966 ). Our study illustrates that there are limiting factors to a more strategic role for middle managers associated with the professional bureaucracy context. However, role conflict and ambiguity can be mediated by a socialization process, which values incoming identity and personal characteristics ( Van Maanen and Schein, 1979 ).