With contributions from some of the field’s most influential scholars, this Handbook provides a path forward for students and researchers interested in strategy process research from a middle management perspective. This groundbreaking Handbook both reviews existing theory and explores new ground concerning key issues surrounding middle management’s influence on strategy making.Split into five distinct sections, the book explicates the unit of analysis and presents foundational theories, emerging models, cutting-edge methods, and original empirical research in strategy process research. Contributors with diverse theoretical and methodological perspectives identify and address a wide range of research issues relevant to middle managers’ participation in strategy making, such as social network analysis and video methodology. Standout chapters include one on complex strategic integration by Robert A. Burgelman and one on development of theory by Henry Mintzberg. This Handbook is a must-read for academics interested in strategy process research as it suggests novel research approaches for addressing relevant phenomena and provides an up-to-date review of the extant literature in the area.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Introduction Steven W. Floyd and Bill Wooldridge Part I: The Unit of Analysis 1. The Role of Middle and Top Managers in the Strategy Process Xavier Castañer and Howard Yu 2. Functions of the Mezzanine Anurag Sharma 3. Some Middle Managers are More Influential Than Others: An Approach for Identifying Strategic Influence Bill Wooldridge and Steven W. Floyd Part II: Explorations of Existing Theory 4. The Role of Issue Selling in Effective Strategy Making Susan J. Ashford, Madeline Ong, Gareth D. Keeves 5. Strategy-as-Practice Research on Middle Managers and Sensemaking Juila Balogun and Linda Rouleau 6. Middle Managers’ Emotion Management in the Strategy Process Quy Nguyen Huy and Yidi Guo 7. Middle Managers: The Lynchpins in the Corporate Entrepreneurship Process Donald F. Kuratko Part III: Theoretical Developments 8. Developing Theory about the Development of Theory Henry Mintzberg 9. Complex Strategic Integration at Nike: Strategy Process and Strategy-as-Practice Combined Robert A. Burgelman 10. A Conceptual Framework of Middle Managers’ Strategic Role Flexibility Ruifang Wang, Patrick T. Gibbons, Ciaran Heavey 11. Mintzberg’s Pattern: Middle Managers in Polyphonic Strategy Process Saku Mantere 12. Middle Management Engagement in Strategic Planning Routines: A Mindfulness Perspective Carola Wolf Part IV: Methodological Alternatives 13. Middle Management and Strategy Process: Toward a Pluralistic Theory of Power Torsten Schmid 14. Measuring the Middle: The Use of Social Network Analysis in Middle Management Research David G. Cohen and Sudhir Nair 15. Choreographies We Strategize By: Using Video Methodology in the Study of Embodiment Philip Gylfe Part V: Empirical Explorations 16. A Psychological Perspective on Middle Managers’ Strategic Championing Behavior Nüfer Yasin Ates, Murat Tarakci, Yoojung Ahn, Steven W. Floyd and Bill Wooldridge 17. The Knowledge Brokering Role of Middle Managers: The Case of Hybrid Middle Managers in a Professionalalized Organization Graeme Currie and Nicola Burgess 18. Middle Managers and Corporate Entrepreneurship: Unpacking Strategic Roles and Assessing Performance Implications Johanna Mair 19. The Interface of Top and Middle Managers: Taking Stock and Moving Forward Anneloes M. L. Raes and Koen van Vlijmen Index