Middlemanagers and their organizational structure : A qualitative study in how middle managers from different operational contexts experienced their work during the covid-19 pandemic

The middle manager as an occupation resides in the center of an organization's hierarchical structure and is therefore, due to the position's organizational circumstances, a representative of the organization in which he or she operates. The last two years have been marked by the ongoing covid-19 pandemic and have affected both individuals and organizations worldwide. The extent to which different organizations have been affected by the pandemic is an area that has not yet been explored to any great extent. This is the main subject of this study, and for this purpose middle managers serve as organizational representatives. The purpose of this study is to further explore how individuals in middle management positions have experienced their organizations regarding covid-19 and how this relates to experiences in other organizations. A semi-structured interview study has been conducted with a total of 5 middle managers participating. The theory used to analyze the interviews is organizational theory with focus on formal and informal organizational structure. According to the statements made by the middle managers who participated in the study, one of the main findings has been that there has been a greater need for social support in organizations that primarily work with human interactions, such as education and care, during the pandemic, than organizations that mainly work with production. Several explanations for this are proposed, such as differences in formal structure, funding and leadership. The findings of this study contributes to deepening the understanding of how different organizations have been affected by the pandemic and what motives have guided the middle managers in the light of the changes brought about by the pandemic