Leadership Among Middle Managers - An Exploration in the Context of Technological Change

Abstract

Although the importance of top managers in promoting technological innovation has been identified, the crucial role played by middle level technical managers in implementing the changes has been largely neglected. This paper offers a framework for the analysis of leadership roles in technological change, which draws upon often unrelated bodies of literature on leadership, technology, strategy, and organizational change. Data from empirical case studies of the implementation of CAD/CAM systems in British and Canadian companies are used to illustrate the impact of leadership by middle managers on organizational outcomes.