A Study of Role Stresses in Top and Middle Management

In the present study, attempt is made to explore the types of role stresses experienced by top and middle management personnel and to establish the degree of relationship among these role stress variables. ‘ORS Scale’ developed and standardized by Pareek (1983) was administered on a sample of 221 top managers and 326 middle managers. This scale measures ten types of role stresses as well as overall role stress. Critical ratio test, median test and Pearson’s product moment coefficients of correlation were used to analyse the data. Findings of the study revealed that Middle managers (MMG) scored significantly higher on interrole distance, personal inadequacy, self-role distance and resource inadequacy. Role expectation conflict, role ambiguity and overall role stress were also found to be significantly higher in case of middle managers (MMG) as compared to top managers (TMG). Out of 55 coefficients of correlation among role stress factors, 53 for top managers and 51 for middle managers emerged as statistically significant. In the light of findings, implications of the study are also discussed.