Middle Managers Essay Research Paper As the

Middle Managers Essay, Research Paper

As the manufacturing industry of the economy began to decline in the 1970s and

1980s, the service type companies springing up everywhere. The ranks of white-collar

middle managers made strides up the corporate ladders, and filled thousands of

positions.

The stock market crash of October 1987 brought industries to a spiraling halt.

Businesses, such as, airlines, financial services, and manufacturing were all

descending. Suddenly all those things that organizations had counted on in the past,

such as, stable market conditions, domestic competition, and the confidence to control

business were no longer viable.

In the late 1980.s news of corporate axing in the middle management ranks

became all to familiar. Companies began to delayer their hierarchies, downsize, and

.rightsize. their business. Organizations, once praised for .lifetime. employment

found themselves defending their stature in the marketplace and hacking away at

thousands of jobs, particularly those in middle management.

Middle managers prior to these layoffs had been the .watch dogs. of the

organization. Their focus was internal, they were concerned with making the operation

seamless. They monitored costs, identified variances, and solved operational

problems. They did not focusing on the external environment that affected the

organization. Those actions were left to senior management, who had the answers to

the many challenges and questions faced by the organization. They resolved most

issues and drew their own conclusion on what was plaguing the business.

For those middle managers who were lucky to keep their jobs, operating a lean

operation meant broader responsibilities, larger spans of control, slower career growth,

and few upward mobility opportunities. All of this for far less job security. Senior

managers expected more and different things from them which middle managers were

not equipped to perform.

Today, most observers would agree that the old division of work no

longer applies. Indeed, the overly rational, control model has been abandoned in favor

of learning theory as a basis for describing how strategy is created. Operating

personnel were the first to recognize the need for change. It was a middle manager,

however, who was able to provide the knowledge and perspective to facilitate a

successful solution. Strategies don.t develop full-blown from the minds of top

managers or anyone else. Rather, strategies develop over time through different

decisions and actions made by middle managers.

Today.s middle managers are focusing on strategy, they have moved from

growth and control to innovation and customer responsiveness. The economy and

environment has become that of global competition, demanding customers, and ever

changing technology. Middle managers have to focus on strategic planning, new

organization structures, and technology changes. In order to achieve goals, managers

must possess the capabilities, characteristics, and ability to change in the new

workplace.

Managers need to recognize that the old models of competing in markets has

changed, and it has put high demands on the way organizations compete. In order to

stay in business, managers have to create capabilities for their organizations.

Strategies have become focused on influencing industry standards and entering

nontraditional markets. Organizations have created relationships with suppliers,

customers, and competitors. It has made the middle managers job difficult because

he/she is dependent on others. While this has become a challenge, it has also helped

organizations to better influence resources.

Businesses today are based on .invisible assets., such as, competencies, brands,

and reputation. These are an organizations intellectual property. It is difficult to

protect this type of property, and it has become an important roles for middle

managers.

Middle managers must be able to quickly help the organization if skills,

attitudes, behavior and business models change. Managers create motivation and

energy for employees, so they understand the importance of the changes. In addition,

organizations must have a shared agenda. The agenda should not just be shared with

employees, but also with customers, suppliers, and investors. The view of the future

must be impressive and motivational.

Middle managers must have certain characteristics in order to be an efficient

and effective managers. The issues of cultural acceptance, strong training beliefs, and

ethical behavior are key factors for the middle manager.

Managers need to recognize that other cultures may not share the same values

and beliefs as their own. Having the ability to understand these cultural differences

will give the middle manager an advantage in business. Organizations have become

global, and in order to remain compet

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