Contrasting insights: digital transformation through the lens of higher versus middle management

Purpose: This study explores clusters of leadership skills and behaviors in the context of continued management digitalization, assessing disparities in perceptions of higher and middle managers. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses group concept mapping, a mixed-methods approach that identifies groups’ comprehension of multifaceted phenomena to discover novel meaning. Participants were higher and middle managers from the Netherlands’ largest public organization. Findings: Clusters of important leadership skills and behaviors included working remotely, digital technology, cooperation, personal leadership and general management. Both higher and middle managers ranked general management and personal leadership as most important, while clusters of cooperation and digital technology were least important. Average ratings of the clusters were greater among higher managers, with a statistically significant difference for clusters of cooperation and digital technology. Research limitations/implications: This qualitative study was limited by sample size, subjective data interpretation and single-source data collection. However, since leadership research rarely assesses differences between higher and middle managers, this study adds to the literature by assessing conceptions of managers’ leadership skills and behaviors in relation to digital transformation to deepen understanding of the topic and supplement extant studies. Practical implications: Higher and middle managers’ operational and tactical agendas create complexities regarding organizational politics and competing interests. These dynamics affect the success of digital initiatives, emphasizing the need for strategies that foster alignment and collaboration. Originality/value: This study is the first to investigate disparities between higher and middle managers, assessing conceptions of managers’ leadership skills and behaviors in relation to participant-driven digital transformation.