[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eurman/v36y2018i5p627-637.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of organisational politics and trust in the top management team on strategic decision implementation success: A middle-manager's perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Lampaki, Antonia
  • Papadakis, Vassilis
Abstract
The implementation of strategic decisions is a complex and demanding process that requires an open and lateral communication of free-flowing information to make sense of and champion a firm's intended changes. For the process to be effective, middle managers need to operate within an environment that nurtures a pro-social mindset and helps to cope with stressors caused by the possibility of harm done by the intended changes to their vested interests. Drawing from the job demands-resources model, we argue that organisational politics represent an organisational demand, which may hinder the implementation of strategic decisions. To cope with this demand, implementers recruit organisational resources (i.e. trust in the top management team) that may moderate the negative effects of dysfunctional politics. To test our hypotheses, we drew on a sample of 228 middle managers from 114 private Greek firms with more than 100 employees across various industries. We found that when organisational politics were high during the implementation process, implementation success diminished. However, their negative impact was reduced when trust in the top management team was high. Conversely, when organisational politics were low, middle managers reported a higher implementation success regardless of how highly the top management team was trusted. Our study is the first to test the influence of organisational politics on the success of the implementation process from a middle manager's perspective. In addition, we show that implementation success can be viewed through a demands-resources lens, which provides a meaningful contribution to research on strategy implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Lampaki, Antonia & Papadakis, Vassilis, 2018. "The impact of organisational politics and trust in the top management team on strategic decision implementation success: A middle-manager's perspective," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 627-637.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:36:y:2018:i:5:p:627-637
    DOI: 10.1016/j.emj.2018.07.005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0263237318300811
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.emj.2018.07.005?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Danny Miller & Peter H. Friesen, 1983. "Strategy‐making and environment: The third link," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(3), pages 221-235, July.
    2. William D. Guth & Ian C. Macmillan, 1986. "Strategy implementation versus middle management self‐interest," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(4), pages 313-327, July.
    3. Elbanna, Said, 2016. "Managers' autonomy, strategic control, organizational politics and strategic planning effectiveness: An empirical investigation into missing links in the hotel sector," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 210-220.
    4. Kurt T. Dirks & Donald L. Ferrin, 2001. "The Role of Trust in Organizational Settings," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(4), pages 450-467, August.
    5. Harry Sminia & Mark de Rond, 2012. "Context and Action in the Transformation of Strategy Scholarship," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(7), pages 1329-1349, November.
    6. Hermann Achidi Ndofor & David G. Sirmon & Xiaoming He, 2015. "Utilizing the firm's resources: How TMT heterogeneity and resulting faultlines affect TMT tasks," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(11), pages 1656-1674, November.
    7. Olson, Bradley J. & Bao, Yongjian & Parayitam, Satyanarayana, 2007. "Strategic decision making within Chinese firms: The effects of cognitive diversity and trust on decision outcomes," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 35-46, March.
    8. John M. Bryson & Philip Bromiley, 1993. "Critical factors affecting the planning and implementation of major projects," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(5), pages 319-337, July.
    9. Beverly Virany & Michael L. Tushman & Elaine Romanelli, 1992. "Executive Succession and Organization Outcomes in Turbulent Environments: An Organization Learning Approach," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(1), pages 72-91, February.
    10. David J. Hickson & Susan J. Miller & David C. Wilson, 2003. "Planned or Prioritized? Two Options in Managing the Implementation of Strategic Decisions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 40(7), pages 1803-1836, November.
    11. Markus Kreutzer & Jorge Walter & Laura B. Cardinal, 2015. "Organizational control as antidote to politics in the pursuit of strategic initiatives," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(9), pages 1317-1337, September.
    12. Paul C. Nutt, 1987. "Identifying and appraising how managers install strategy," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), pages 1-14, January.
    13. Pol Herrmann & Sucheta Nadkarni, 2014. "Managing strategic change: The duality of CEO personality," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9), pages 1318-1342, September.
    14. Yidi Guo & Quy Nguyen Huy & Zhixing Xiao, 2017. "How middle managers manage the political environment to achieve market goals: Insights from China's state‐owned enterprises," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(3), pages 676-696, March.
    15. Linda Rouleau, 2005. "Micro‐Practices of Strategic Sensemaking and Sensegiving: How Middle Managers Interpret and Sell Change Every Day," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(7), pages 1413-1441, November.
    16. Paul C. Nutt, 1989. "Selecting tactics to implement strategic plans," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 10(2), pages 145-161, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Temprano-García, Víctor & Rodríguez-Escudero, Ana Isabel & Rodríguez-Pinto, Javier, 2021. "Brand deletion implementation: The effect on performance of context and process factors," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 147-161.
    2. Joanna Radomska & Przemysław Wołczek & Letycja Sołoducho-Pelc & Susana Silva, 2019. "The Impact of Trust on the Approach to Management—A Case Study of Creative Industries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Tawse, Alex & Tabesh, Pooya, 2021. "Strategy implementation: A review and an introductory framework," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 22-33.
    4. Sabina Veršič & Polona Tominc & Tjaša Štrukelj, 2022. "SME Top Management Perception of Environmental Uncertainty and Gender Differences during COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-34, March.
    5. Kulikowska-Pawlak Monika & Zatoński Maciej, 2022. "The relationship between organizational politics, strategic political management, and competitive advantage," International Journal of Contemporary Management, Sciendo, vol. 58(4), pages 15-27, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tawse, Alex & Tabesh, Pooya, 2021. "Strategy implementation: A review and an introductory framework," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 22-33.
    2. Rhys Andrews & George A. Boyne & Jennifer Law & Richard M. Walker, 2012. "Strategic Management and Public Service Performance," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-34943-8, March.
    3. Mariano L. M. Heyden & Sebastian P. L. Fourné & Bastiaan A. S. Koene & Renate Werkman & Shahzad (Shaz) Ansari, 2017. "Rethinking ‘Top‐Down’ and ‘Bottom‐Up’ Roles of Top and Middle Managers in Organizational Change: Implications for Employee Support," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(7), pages 961-985, November.
    4. Sven Kunisch & Julian Birkinshaw & Michael Boppel & Kira Choi, 2023. "Why do firms launch corporate change programs?," Post-Print hal-04325790, HAL.
    5. Rhys Andrews & Malcolm J. Beynon & Elif Genc, 2017. "Strategy Implementation Style and Public Service Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-19, February.
    6. Young-Choon Kim & Taekjin Shin & Sangchan Park, 2021. "Enhancing firm performance through intra-group managerial experience: Evidence from group-affiliated firms in Korea," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 38(2), pages 435-465, June.
    7. Michael D. Ensley & Allison W. Pearson, 2005. "An Exploratory Comparison of the Behavioral Dynamics of Top Management Teams in Family and Nonfamily New Ventures: Cohesion, Conflict, Potency, and Consensus," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 29(3), pages 267-284, May.
    8. Samir L. Vaz & Anneloes M. L. Raes & Mariano L. M. Heyden, 2022. "Realizing implementation through relational exchanges with top managers: the mediating role of middle managers’ divergent strategic behavior," Journal of Management Control: Zeitschrift für Planung und Unternehmenssteuerung, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 81-108, March.
    9. Waggoner, Daniel B. & Neely, Andy D. & P. Kennerley, Mike, 1999. "The forces that shape organisational performance measurement systems: An interdisciplinary review," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 53-60, April.
    10. Schuler, Benedikt Alexander & Orr, Kevin & Hughes, Jeffrey, 2023. "My colleagues (do not) think the same: Middle managers’ shared and separate realities in strategy implementation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Son Le & Mark Kroll, 2017. "CEO international experience: Effects on strategic change and firm performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(5), pages 573-595, July.
    12. Goldsby, Curtis M. & Hanisch, Marvin, 2023. "Agency in the algorithmic age: The mechanisms and structures of blockchain-based organizing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    13. Andres Felipe Cortes & Pol Herrmann, 2019. "Ceo Transformational Leadership And Sme Innovation: The Mediating Role Of Social Capital And Employee Participation," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 24(03), pages 1-25, April.
    14. Katsuhiko Shimizu, 2008. "New Strategy Implementation and Learning: Importance of Consensus," Working Papers 0034, College of Business, University of Texas at San Antonio.
    15. Noble, Charles H., 1999. "The Eclectic Roots of Strategy Implementation Research," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 119-134, June.
    16. Saku Mantere & Eero Vaara, 2008. "On the Problem of Participation in Strategy: A Critical Discursive Perspective," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 19(2), pages 341-358, April.
    17. Elbanna, Said, 2018. "The constructive aspect of political behavior in strategic decision-making: The role of diversity," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 616-626.
    18. Meirbek Mazhitov & Md. Aftab Uddin & Monowar Mahmood & Alexandr Ostrovskiy, 2024. "Competitive Advantages Through Strategy Implementation: the Role of People, Plan, and Process," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 24(3), pages 861-883, September.
    19. Pol Herrmann & Sucheta Nadkarni, 2014. "Managing strategic change: The duality of CEO personality," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(9), pages 1318-1342, September.
    20. Gerdin, Jonas & Johansson, Tobias & Wennblom, Gabriella, 2019. "The contingent nature of complementarity between results and value-based controls for managing company-level profitability: A situational strength perspective," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:eurman:v:36:y:2018:i:5:p:627-637. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/115/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.