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University of Warwick institutional repository: http://go.warwick.ac.uk/wrap A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of Warwick http://go.warwick.ac.uk/wrap/71026 This thesis is made available online and is protected by original copyright. Please scroll down to view the document itself. Please refer to the repository record for this item for information to help you to cite it. Our policy information is available from the repository home page. HYBRID UPPER MIDDLE MANAGER STRATEGIZING PRACTICES: LINKING ARCHETYPES AND CONTINGENCIES IN THE UK BUSINESS SCHOOL DEANSHIP By Julie Davies BA(Hons), LLB(Hons), MA, MBA, PGCE, FCIPD A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2014 Warwick Business School TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vi LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................... viii DECLARATION AND DISCLAIMER ............................................................................................ ix GLOSSARY................................................................................................................................. x ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................. 14 1. Summary ........................................................................................................................ 14 2. Research objectives ....................................................................................................... 17 3. Research questions ........................................................................................................ 22 4. Structure of the thesis ................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER TWO: MIDDLE MANAGERS’ STRATEGIC ROLES ...................................................... 26 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 26 2. What is a middle manager? ........................................................................................... 28 3. Middle managers’ strategic value .................................................................................. 30 4. Floyd and Wooldridge’s middle management strategic roles ....................................... 32 4.1 Overview .................................................................................................................. 32 4.1.1 Facilitating adaptability ..................................................................................... 34 4.1.2 Synthesizing information .................................................................................. 37 4.1.3 Championing alternatives ................................................................................. 40 4.1.4 Implementing deliberate strategy .................................................................... 41 4.1.5 Influencing from the middle upwards .............................................................. 46 4.1.6 Influencing from the middle downwards ......................................................... 48 4.1.7 Combining the four roles .................................................................................. 49 4.2 Critique of Floyd and Wooldridge’s model .............................................................. 50 4.2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 50 4.2.2 Contingent factors ............................................................................................ 55 4.2.3 Temporal perspectives ...................................................................................... 62 4.2.4 Strengths and limitations of the model ............................................................ 63 4.2.5 Studies that have used Floyd and Wooldridge’s model.................................... 65 5. Professional context....................................................................................................... 67 ii 6. Public sector middle managers and academic leadership ............................................. 74 7. Archetypes ..................................................................................................................... 76 8. Summary and conclusion ............................................................................................... 78 CHAPTER THREE: STRATEGIZING PRACTICES OVER TIME ...................................................... 80 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 80 2. Strategic management ................................................................................................... 81 3. Strategy-as-practice ....................................................................................................... 82 4. Strategists, practices, and processes ............................................................................. 86 5. Middle managers’ practices ........................................................................................... 88 6. Temporal perspectives on strategizing practices .......................................................... 90 7. Summary and conclusion ............................................................................................... 99 CHAPTER FOUR: THE RESEARCH SETTING ........................................................................... 100 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 100 2. Debates on business schools ....................................................................................... 101 3. Critiques of business and management education ...................................................... 103 4. Key challenges .............................................................................................................. 106 5. Global developments in the business school industry................................................. 114 5.1 Historical developments and debates in North America ....................................... 115 5.2 British business schools ......................................................................................... 118 6. Overview of UK business and management education ............................................... 120 6.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 120 6.2 A historical view of the UK’s higher education landscape ..................................... 121 7. The policy context for UK management education since 1945 ................................... 125 8. An overview of Warwick Business School .................................................................... 132 9. The deanship ................................................................................................................ 145 10. Summary and conclusion ........................................................................................... 158 CHAPTER FIVE: RESEARCH METHODS .................................................................................. 160 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 160 2. Research design ........................................................................................................... 161 2.1 Research paradigm ................................................................................................ 163 2.2 Research schedule ................................................................................................. 164 2.3 Sampling ................................................................................................................. 165 iii 2.4 Case study design ................................................................................................... 169 2.5 Interviews ............................................................................................................... 171 2.6 Documentary data ................................................................................................. 176 2.7 Triangulation .......................................................................................................... 178 3. Evaluating the quality of the research ......................................................................... 184 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 184 3.2 Validity ................................................................................................................... 185 3.2.1 Construct validity ............................................................................................ 187 3.2.2 Internal validity ............................................................................................... 188 3.2.3 Descriptive