ISSN: 2222-6990
Open access
Middle managers act as critical links between senior executives and frontline employees. Insufficient competence among middle managers often leads to weak execution of corporate strategies. Although numerous scholars have examined the competencies required of middle managers, much of the existing research remains focused on complex, fragmented factor analyses, lacking the development of a concise and practical competence model.Grounded in embeddedness theory, this study classifies the factors influencing middle managers' competence into six key capability dimensions. Based on the analysis of 532 valid survey responses from enterprises across a range of industries, the findings indicate that middle managers who demonstrate the following six competencies—adherence to management systems and corporate culture, proficiency in management skills, effective communication with both superiors and subordinates, harmonious family and professional networks, execution of management procedures, and mastery of technical work processes—are capable of performing effectively in their roles.
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