| The purpose of the present research was to understand better the experiences of middle managers from the perspective of embedded intergroup relations theory (EIRT). Middle management and organizational psychology literature was reviewed and the author discovered the need to explore the multidimensional context of organizational middleness in a way that accounted for individual, group and organizational dynamics. Based on conceptualizing the phenomenon in this way, four hypotheses were generated to guide the research, including (1) The middle manager group is underbounded, (2) Middle managers experience difficulties managing the boundaries around their work, (3) Middle managers feel most connected to the groups above and below them in the organization's hierarchy rather than to their own group, and (4) Women middle managers experience their femaleness as a career liability. This study targeted white female middle managers working as members of the same organizational system. A multi-method approach to data collection was employed, which included eight one-on-one interviews (phase one), an organic survey (phase two) based on the themes that emerged during the interviews, and the author's self-as-tool data that were informative of the middle dynamics uncovered throughout the research process; however, the organic survey results were not utilized in the analysis due to limitations in the instrument design. A total of 18 themes emerged from analysis of the interview content. These themes provided confirmatory support for Hypotheses 1-3, while Hypothesis 4 was disconfirmed due to insufficient support. Participant experiences were largely defined by pervasive ambiguity and a sense of aloneness in their role as organizational middles. These themes are understood to reflect characteristics of task and hierarchical organizational group dynamics that influenced and were influenced by both the identity group composition of the participants and the systemic context of the organization in which the research was conducted. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed, as well as the author's reflections about her experience of the research and what she learned. |
