Reading the wind: how middle managers assess the context for selling issues to top managers

Article Abstract:

Middle managers often play a crucial role in identifying emerging issues and having them included in the company's strategic agenda. These managers help drive change initiatives through 'issue selling,' which involves selecting the time, place and manner in which issues are brought to the attention of senior management. Two exploratory studies are conducted to examine how middle managers assess favorable and unfavorable contexts for championing certain issues. The first study suggests that context favorability depended on senior management's willingness to listen, the supportiveness of the culture, competitive and economic pressures, and organizational change. Context unfavorability is found to be affected by fear of negative consequences, uncertainty, downsizing conditions, and the conservativeness of the culture. The second study identifies middle managers' perceptions of factors related to risk of image loss. These are discussed.

Research, Organizational communication, Middle managers

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The influence of the strategic planning process on strategic change

Article Abstract:

Organizational decision-makers function in a strategic issues market in which different external and internal trends and events vie for the decision-maker's attention. The way in which an organization's strategic planning efforts affect those strategic concerns that do gain the decision-maker's attention is described. Also explained are qualities of the strategic issue array and the way in which this is converted into timely and effective beginnings and implementation of strategic change.

Decision-making, Decision making

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Rigor and practical usefulness of research in strategic management

Article Abstract:

The value and rigor of strategic management research programs is examined. Facet analysis technique is employed to examine 23 research programs on eight criteria for their usefulness and rigor. Results indicate that emphasis in this field has been on utility of research results. Some research that has practical utility and that is rigorous also exists in the field. Suggestions are discussed for developing more such research.

Methods, Management

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