Examines the changes facing middle managers as organizations move to leaner, empowered organization focused on delivering service to customers. The model of the inverted triangle leaves middle managers still in the middle, but now confused as to their new role – their world is literally...

Elucidates the nature, purpose and application of the Merlin Exercise in the context of a middle manager leadership programme conducted by the authors with personnel from the Hoechst Celanese Corporation (HCC). Describes the content of three modules – “Visionary Leadership”, “Strategic...

The plight of the middle manager has received considerable attention recently as this endangered species has been delayered, rationalised and subjected to many organisational change programmes. These changes have pushed the middle manager into an increasing number of apparently contradictory and...

Purpose – This teaching case seeks to explain the main aspects of Acciona's sustainability strategy and the process of transformation of the company after the new CEO took office in 2004. It also aims to present some possible difficulties of maintaining such strategies in the new economic and...

Describes a simulation that provides an alternative method for teaching managers about the organizational renewal process and about the skills which are necessary to effect change in organizations. The simulation is based on theories about change, diffusion of innovations, and power and...

Intent is to provide a set of practices for effective design of strategic management education programmes and a set of implementing procedures. Distinguishes the strategic manager as a designer of future conditions from an operating manager as an interpreter of events. Discusses rapid...

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the trust repair efforts of top management within an organization specifically focusing on the impact of perceived organizational support and issue‐selling success. Building on the theoretical trust repair literature, the authors bridge the...

The present project concerned the assessment of senior and middle level managers′ training needs by self‐report questionnaire, and the link between such identified needs and managers′ preferences for training strategies. It was found that senior‐and middle‐level managers rated the...

The need to develop new skills among middle managers has been increasing since the early 1990s. This need arises from the changes in the workplace environment associated with the realities of downsizing, the quality movement, and the increased use of teams. This article reports on the experience...

Organizational change is a complex phenomenon with potentially devastating consequences if not done correctly. Organizations in the global marketplace continue to experience tremendous change. This paper examines data from a survey, which examined approximately 2,000 workplaces on whether they...