In Search of ‘Managerial Work’: Past, Present and Future of an Analytical Category

Abstract

Based on a comprehensive review of literature, the paper examines how ‘managerial work’ as a fluid analytical category has been approached methodologically, theoretically and empirically for more than 60 years. In particular, it highlights the existence of competing scholarly understandings regarding its nature, performance, meaning and politics. The authors suggest that subsequent empirical investigations have too often worked, methodologically and theoretically, to slot in, and thus effectively reduce, the term to a particular pre‐existing box, rather than exploring open‐endedly the what and how, but also the why of ‘managerial work’ as a distinct mode of situated ordering. Having represented the concept's past and present by identifying four distinct research approaches reflected in representative publications, the authors suggest that more attention should be devoted to a mode of analytical departure that promises to address directly the suggested shortcomings in the literature. Specifically, it is argued that much could be gained if contemporary notions of practice were brought into the study of managerial work. To this end, the authors outline the contours of a practice‐based approach as a sensitizing framework for understanding managerial work by highlighting the situated, relational, sociomaterial, meaning‐making and consequence‐oriented analytical foci the approach suggests, and suggesting a number of conjoint research questions, as well as acknowledging subsequent limitations.

Nurse middle managers contributions to patient‐centred care: A ‘managerial work’ analysis

“…The purpose is described in subcategories such as administration, information and decision‐making (see, e.g., Arman et al., ; Hales, ; Mintzberg, ; Stewart, ). The recent “practice turn” in managerial work studies (Korica, Nicolini, & Johnson, ) points to the contextualization of the unit of observation and adds a focus on the precise contributions of the various managerial activities to other actors and processes within the organization, for example, via processes of sense‐making (Weick, ). This prompted us to conduct a study based on two research questions: (i).…”

Managing collaborative space in multi-partner projects

“…Here, the daily managerial interventions that are not necessarily visible in management models are important for successful collaboration (Suprapto et al 2015). The practice approach implies exploring management as fostering collaboration practices while situated in context, formed in time, related to others and connected to socio-materiality (see Korica et al 2015). In accordance with a practice approach, we presume that the management of multi-partner project collaborations is an evolving process embedded in local practices and negotiated through interaction between management and project members across companies.…”

“…In accordance with a practice approach, we presume that the management of multi-partner project collaborations is an evolving process embedded in local practices and negotiated through interaction between management and project members across companies. Thus, besides making decisions, management practices can include activities such as negotiations and sense-making through interaction (Korica et al 2015). Based on these observations, managing a collaborative space would mean project management practices aiming at influencing the physical features and social constructions of the space to intensify collaboration practices between individuals across companies over the course of project.…”

Middle Managers’ Work in Recession and Austerity: A Longitudinal Study

“…For example, Hales () has argued that the desire to identify differences in managerial work has discouraged researchers from exploring the commonalities. Other scholars have also pointed to the tendency for analytical categorization and theorizing in studies of managerial work which, they argue, have been achieved at the expense of practice‐led empirical understandings (see Korica, Nicolini and Johnson, ; Mintzberg, ; Tengblad, ).…”

“…This approach to studying managerial work is useful in providing depth and understanding and builds on the insights gained and the approaches advocated by a number of scholars (e.g. Ford and Collinson, ; Korica, Nicolini and Johnson, ; Worrall and Cooper ).…”