Middle Managers’ Strategising Practices to Effect Strategic Change

ABSTRACT

Strategic organizational changes in the higher education sector are costly and resource intensive but considered crucial for the longevity and feasibility of organizations in this sector. Faced with major reforms of government-imposed funding, pressures from internationalization, digitalization and globalization, many Higher Educational Institutions had to reconsider governance, organizational structures and the roles and responsibilities of actors. The purpose of the empirical qualitative research study was to investigate the professional middle managers’ strategising practices to effect strategic change. The study context was a South African higher education institution undergoing substantial organizational change due to an institutional restructuring. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to describe participants’ cognitive, emotional, and physical nature which confirmed six holistic and comprehensive strategising practices namely adapting, effecting change, collaborating, mobilizing, peacekeeping and overseeing. The findings confirmed that strategising practices were not the result of actions only but were also influenced by cognitive, rational, and emotional experiences.

MAD statement

Change is difficult for everyone, but even more so for middle managers who are not only strategy implementors but also recipients of change. Findings provide insight to how middle managers handle change contexts in which changes are multiple and overlapping.

KEYWORDS:

• Middle manager perspective
• strategic change
• practices
• strategising
• strategy as practice (SAP)

Acknowledgments

The article submitted is partially based on the work documented in the thesis: Van Niekerk, K. (2018). Strategising to effect change during a strategic change initiative: Middle manager perspective in a South African higher education institution. [Doctoral thesis, University of South Africa]. UNISA Institutional repository. Retrieved from http://uir.unisa.ac.za/handle/10500/25539

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kirstin van Niekerk

Dr Kirstin van Niekerk holds the position of Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pretoria, positioned within the Vice Principal: Research and PG Education Office. Kirstin has wide-ranging strategic project and change management experience with a focus on institutional (cross-cutting) projects. She is responsible for the formulation and execution of key strategic initiatives within the university. Kirstin’s formal postgraduate qualifications include a Masters in Research Psychology (UP), a MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science and a Doctor of Business Leadership at the University of South Africa’s School of Business Leadership.

Mari Jansen van Rensburg

Prof Mari Jansen van Rensburg is the Campus Director of Middlesex University Mauritius. Mari has extensive experience in multi-cultural and multidisciplinary settings with in-depth knowledge of Higher Education in Africa. She has a successful career history at the University of South Africa (Unisa) where she served as a Professor in Strategic Management and held several senior leadership roles and positions. She ended her career at Unisa as Academic Director of the Graduate School of Business Leadership. Mari’s formal qualifications include a BCom (Hons) Marketing Management, MCom and DCom (Business Management). Mari specializes, publishes, and consults in the fields of strategic and relationship marketing as well as change and strategic management. As Campus Director, Mari is responsible for shaping and delivering the strategic plan for the Campus, meeting financial objectives, and managing resources and budgets. It is her responsibility to ensure that the branch campus maintains the highest standards in student experience, academic achievement, academic excellence, and staff wellbeing.