Whatever Did Happen to the Likely Lads? Middle Management Under Lean and Mean Production

According to management pundits, an organisational transformation has occurred during the past decade. The bureaucratic, hierarchical organisation is no longer appropriate to meet the needs of greater market uncertainty, volatility and intensified competition. Instead organisations are to be flatter, “leaner”, more focused, more responsive and more flexible (Kanter, 1995; Peters, 1992).