Performance Impact of Middle Managers' Adaptive Strategy Implementation: the Role of Social Capital

Kraus, Florian ; Ahearne, Michael ; Lam, Son K.

DOI:	https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2086
URL:	http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/smj.208...
Dokumenttyp:	Zeitschriftenartikel
Erscheinungsjahr:	2014
Titel einer Zeitschrift oder einer Reihe:	Strategic Management Journal
Band/Volume:	35
Heft/Issue:	1
Seitenbereich:	68-87
Ort der Veröffentlichung:	Chichester [u.a.]
Verlag:	Wiley
ISSN:	0143-2095 , 1097-0266
Sprache der Veröffentlichung:	Englisch
Einrichtung:	Fakultät für Betriebswirtschaftslehre > Dr. Werner Jackstädt Stiftungslehrstuhl für Sales & Services Marketing (Kraus 2011-)
Fachgebiet:	330 Wirtschaft
Freie Schlagwörter (Englisch):	middle managers , social capital , adaptive strategy implementation , social network , multilevel analysis , paradox
Abstract:	This article reconciles mixed findings about the performance impact of middle managers’ involvement in strategy. We propose that the relationship between middle managers’ adaptive strategy implementation—through upward and downward influence—and objective business performance can be curvilinear and contingent on both formal and informal structures. Applying a multilevel perspective to social networks, we empirically show that reputational social capital enhances the performance impact of middle managers’ upward influence while informational social capital elevates the performance impact of their downward influence. As a formal structural variable, the size of a business unit or region has differential moderating effects. The curvilinear effects of middle managers’ upward influence and reputational and informational social capital on business unit performance uncover the paradoxical nature of adaptive strategy implementation and social capital. We discuss the implications of these findings for strategy implementation research and practice.