Middle Management and Information Systems Strategy: The Role of Awareness and Involvement

Top management involvement is important to the success of IS strategy. However, it is not typically within top management's role to implement strategy, rather, strategy implementation falls under the purview of middle management. This study investigates the importance of middle management involvement in and awareness of IS Strategy. Using a survey of 100 middle managers, the study discovers that the importance of middle management involvement and awareness depends on the underlying IS strategy. It is more important for middle managers to be aware of and involved in the IS strategy when it is innovative than when it is conservative. In fact, middle managers prefer to not be involved when the strategy is conservative. The results have theoretical implications for the theory of IS strategy and practical implications for the relationship of CIOs with business units.