Pushing the Envelope: Creating Public Value in the Labor Market: An Empirical Study on the Role of Middle Managers

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransfer

Authors

This article analyzes public value creation by the German Federal Labour Agency (FLA) from a middle management perspective. We relate the role description of a public value manager by Mark Moore with middle management research inspired by Floyd and Wooldridge. As a result of a case study we conceptualize critical experience of middle management and its antecedents in balancing different value dimensions. The conflict potential is seen less in managing different expectations from the top and the front line, but rather in enacting an integrative public value manager role itself which requires significant adaptive and value-balancing work customarily attributed to professional (private) leadership.

Original languageEnglish
JournalInternational Journal of Public Administration
Volume32
Issue number3-4
Pages (from-to)274-312
Number of pages39
ISSN0190-0692
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2009

    Research areas

  • Management studies - role conflict, public value, middle management, value-balancing leadership