Mellanchefer som dubbelagenter - En kvalitativ studie av mellanchefers roll som meningsskapare och meningsgivare i en förändring

Sammanfattning: In a constantly changing world with digitalization and multiple channels for consumers to explore and purchase new things through, a need for change in business has occurred for many companies. External pressure sets new demands for organisations to meet and the need for knowledge of organisational change and how to execute it has grown. In this changing environment, the risk for fear and worry in an organisation’s staff is palpable therefore it is important to consider how co-workers and leaders within an organisation create meaning in change. Based on the assumption that reality is socially constructed, collective meaning becomes important to reduce confusion and create engagement in change. The purpose of this paper is to study how middle managers within a big organisation, going through a big change, create and give meaning and how that process is affected by different tools and messages they are given from top governance. The paper is based on a qualitative case study which has been executed through document analysis, interviews and observation. The result shows that different activities for sensemaking and sensegiving, such as different forms of framing, has been identified and are used by the organisation to create meaning for middle managers and equip them to give meaning to their co-workers. Through these findings, the study aims to contribute to the field of strategic communication and specifically the middle manager's role in change processes.