is there a decline in middle management?

Question

Information needed for term paper

Answer 1

It sure seems so... The people at the top end of the food chain aren't about to throw themselves on the sword... "They are too valuable and are needed to navigate their company through a difficult economy." Furthermore, because the walk from the ivory tower to the trenches is too long, and an Executive with rolled up shirt sleeves ruins the corporate image, they will not sacrifice the corporate serfs who are needed to do the undesireable jobs...which leaves only middle managment as expendable. Cutting them saves the company more $ than cutting low level workers and still leaves enough "yes men" in the trenches to stroke the Executive ego.

Answer 2

yes. more and more companies are doing away with the middlemen since there need for them is slowly fading. lower level people like account executives, sales people, account managers etc, are all given the duties once reserved for middle management personnel. these lower level employees can negotiate and engage in talks with higher level CEO's and such. the added use of handhelds, cells, palm pilots etc, narrow the gap and the need for localized managers since everything nowadays can be done electronically. there are still regional managers or divisional managers to oversee the work done by the lower level staff all through email or whatever. this cuts out the need for local managers who oversee several plants or facilities. essentially what has happened is lower level people are given more duties and responsibilties than ever before all to save a buck and put more into the pockets of the CEO's and such for their "hard" work.

Answer 3

Yes. Large service corporations have a greater ability to interface and communicate directives effectively from upper managment, through fewer middle managers, who can cover wider regions using tools like email, IM, cell phones and the internet to keep tabs on operations remotely. Middle managers are often demoted to mere supervisor or employee as cost cutting saves profit for upper managment to adequately compensate themselves for their added "burdens". This is evident in banking, real estate and movie theater chains. Go in to any such office and take a look for yourself.