Table 1 Roles and activities hypothesized in the middle manager role theory [1]
Hypothesized activitiesa | Examples of activities identified in this study |
|---|---|
Hypothesized role 1: diffusing information | |
• Relay information regarding innovation implementation to employees (p 6) • Stay attuned to top managers’ and frontline employees’ moods and needs (p 6) • Provide frontline employees with the information necessary to implement innovations (p 6) • Provide top managers with feedback regarding innovation implementation status (p 6) • Field employees’ questions regarding innovation implementation (p 6) • Inform employees of an innovation that is expected to be implemented (p 6) • Disseminate information regarding material support for innovation implementation (p 6) • Disseminate information regarding emotional support for innovation implementation (p 6) • Disseminate rewards for innovation implementation (p 6) | • Websites • Print/electronic materials • Training • Communicating information (e.g., in-person, meetings, email) • Education |
Hypothesized role 2: synthesizing information | |
• Make general information about innovation implementation relevant to unique organizations and employees (p 6) • Monitor employees’ responses to the information and reinterpret the information in a way that the employee may find more relevant (p 6) • Use daily conversations to help frontline employees understand key information regarding innovation implementation (p 7) • Interpret facts about innovation implementation may convey to employees the relevance of the innovation to the specific roles that they are expected to fulfill (p 7) • Explain to employees the specific ways in which someone in their role would be supported and rewarded for innovation implementation (p 7) | • Workflow integration • Providing examples |
Hypothesized role 3: mediating between strategy and day-to-day activities | |
• Give employees the tools necessary to implement innovations (p 7) • Translate information into concrete tasks that must be carried out to effectively implement innovations (p 7) • Provide employees with practical feedback on their innovation implementation-related performance (p 7) • Form “strategic communities” that promote the implementation of new technologies (p 7) • Identify specific activities in which employees are expected to engage to promote an organization’s strategy of innovation implementation (p 7) | • Provide data • Funding • Resources • Assuring right equipment/tools • Support • Workflow integration • Reminders/follow-up |
Hypothesized role 4: selling innovation implementation | |
• Justify innovation implementation (p 7) • Encourage employees to consistently and effectively use innovations (p 7) • Convince employees that innovation implementation is worthy of their attention (p 7) • Set innovation implementation-related norms (p 8) • Maintain a positive attitude regarding innovation implementation (p 8) • Help employees to appreciate the rationale underlying organizational changes (p 8) | • Describing benefits • Generating “buy-in” from employees • Providing rewards • Reinforcement • Communicating information |