Changes in the Role of Middle Manager: A Historical Point of View

Abstract

Middle Management is now a reality in the business organizations, but there is, nevertheless, a lack of contextualization with respect to middle management in the history of management. This study will review the ideas of Taylor, Fayol, Mayo and Barnard –milestones in the history of organization- with the objective of highlighting what their contributions and limitations were concerning the advent of middle management. This research project shows that middle management is the natural result of a new organizational structure that originates in a knowledge society, shows the indispensable role played by middle managers today as a key element between management and lower levels of the organization, and demonstrates the need to provide them with specific training.