In this section we apply our conceptual framework of managerial knowledge integration
to different levels of management within a firm. Following Bartlett and Ghoshal
(1993), we focus on three levels: front-line management, middle management, and top
management. Although in each of these levels of management many of the same set of
roles and tasks are performed by managers, there are differences in the relative importance
of each to the overall organization. This view goes back to Fayol (1949), who
stated that all activities within firms can be divided into six groups. Five of these groups
of activities relate to functional areas of management. Management activities perse are
identified as the sixth group of activities. Fayol observed that most of these activities
will be present in most managerial jobs, although to varying degrees. Fayol stressed
that "pure" managerial activities increase in importance in senior jobs and are least
important (or perhaps even absent) in direct production or other functional jobs.
With the recent emergence of new organizational forms and the ongoing decentralization
of processes in organizations, traditional boundaries between management
levels are breaking down (Bartlett and Ghoshal 1993; Hedlund 1994; van Wijk and
van den Bosch 1998, :000a, 2000b; Volberda 1998). Notwithstanding this development,
Bartlett and Ghoshal (1993) usefully build on Fayol's approach in describing
different levels of management activities, and the differences in their relative
importance by level, rigure 8.2 illustrates the relative importance of knowledge
components and knowedge domains at the front-line management level.