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Traditionell klämdhet eller möjligheternas platå? - En studie kring mellanchefers upplevda arbetssituation

Östlund, Jeanette LU (2010) SOAM01 20092
School of Social Work
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine how middle managers within the social service experience and perceive their own role and work situation. It was also my intention to investigate what kind of demands and expectations were attributed to their role. Furthermore, I aimed to investigate how they experience their possibilities to fulfill or match these demands and expectations. I have read articles implying middle managers had an extremely difficult and complex role. The role is often portrayed in a negative manner.
I wanted to shed some light on the subject from the middle managers own perspective. To do so I used a qualitative data collection method. To gather my empirical material I interviewed middle managers with primary... (More)
The purpose of this study was to examine how middle managers within the social service experience and perceive their own role and work situation. It was also my intention to investigate what kind of demands and expectations were attributed to their role. Furthermore, I aimed to investigate how they experience their possibilities to fulfill or match these demands and expectations. I have read articles implying middle managers had an extremely difficult and complex role. The role is often portrayed in a negative manner.
I wanted to shed some light on the subject from the middle managers own perspective. To do so I used a qualitative data collection method. To gather my empirical material I interviewed middle managers with primary knowledge in this subject. During the interviews I used so-called interview guides which I created myself; however this material could have resolved in a sum of subjective interpretations. I tried to prevent this by using secondary data such as books and scientific surveys. In the study I used four theoretical conceptions which were role expectations, role conflict, role ambiguity and role complementarity. I used these theoretical conceptions while analyzing my empirical material. I found that even though my interviewed middle managers can agree that their role might be difficult sometimes, they all thought of the role in very positive ways. This finding did not really correspond with previous research. The survey also showed that my interviewed middle managers found the expectations and demands attributed towards their role were not unjustified nor were they extremely hard to fulfill. But this demanded, according to my empirical data, that the middle managers first of all were clear about what they were willing to do within the role, and secondly that they transmitted this to their co-workers, colleagues and managers higher up in the organization. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Östlund, Jeanette LU
supervisor
organization
alternative title
Traditionally in-between or an opportunity platform? A study about middle managers perceived work situation.
course
SOAM01 20092
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
role, leadership, role ambiguity and role complementarity, role expectations, middle managers, middle management
language
Swedish
id
1529054
date added to LUP
2010-03-01 10:38:47
date last changed
2010-03-01 10:38:47
@misc{1529054,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this study was to examine how middle managers within the social service experience and perceive their own role and work situation.  It was also my intention to investigate what kind of demands and expectations were attributed to their role. Furthermore, I aimed to investigate how they experience their possibilities to fulfill or match these demands and expectations. I have read articles implying middle managers had an extremely difficult and complex role. The role is often portrayed in a negative manner. 
I wanted to shed some light on the subject from the middle managers own perspective.  To do so I used a qualitative data collection method. To gather my empirical material I interviewed middle managers with primary knowledge in this subject. During the interviews I used so-called interview guides which I created myself; however this material could have resolved in a sum of subjective interpretations. I tried to prevent this by using secondary data such as books and scientific surveys. In the study I used four theoretical conceptions which were role expectations, role conflict, role ambiguity and role complementarity. I used these theoretical conceptions while analyzing my empirical material. I found that even though my interviewed middle managers can agree that their role might be difficult sometimes, they all thought of the role in very positive ways. This finding did not really correspond with previous research. The survey also showed that my interviewed middle managers found the expectations and demands attributed towards their role were not unjustified nor were they extremely hard to fulfill. But this demanded, according to my empirical data, that the middle managers first of all were clear about what they were willing to do within the role, and secondly that they transmitted this to their co-workers, colleagues and  managers higher up in the organization.}},
  author       = {{Östlund, Jeanette}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Traditionell klämdhet eller möjligheternas platå? - En studie kring mellanchefers upplevda arbetssituation}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}