Role allocation and strategic change: Comparative study of competencies of Austrian and Slovak Managers: Comparative study of competencies of austrian and Slovak managers

In management literature top managers are often mentioned as key factor of successful change management. In practice, we often find them more hindering than helpful. This article has a closer look at the competencies of top managers to answer the question of their positive or negative influx on change management processes. Based on a cluster analysis according to Tanimoto, the data of 275 German speaking and 100 managers from Slovakia show that top management in Austria and upper managers in Slovakia are completely unwilling to change their behavior. So, they can never be seen as role models for change managers. Also the upper management does not foster change according to theoretical approaches. Only the middle and operative management behaves according to literature. Thus, we definitely have to question the different hierarchical roles of managers within the change process and rethink current change management concepts. If top and upper managers don't seem to be interested in initiating change, we will have to have a closer look at bottom up processes - as it is already known from the IT perspective.