Abstract
Managers can be seen as information workers who use the raw material of information. The amount of information available for them is for all practical purposes infinite. How can they make the best use of the information available? How can they create a line of action based on that information? These are challenges today's managers are facing. It is challenges like these that justify this study's starting point in the field of information management, in contrast to much previous research on managerial work. In order to create an in-depth understanding of processes in managerial work, this dissertation describes the work of a managing director and his management team over a five year period. The research presented in Management Processes An Information Perspective on Managerial Work includes a description of the longitudinal case study and a thematic analysis of it. Theoretically the study presents a framework for management processes. The study challenges previous research on information requirements in managerial work and offers an analysis of the various roles information plays in managerial communication processes. The findings include frameworks for these roles and for the forces forming agendas in managerial work. The study suggests two layers of management processes: one execution-level and one development-level. The interplay between these layers is described as an important challenge in managerial work. Several practical implications arise from the study. One is the usefulness of searching for the triggers for managerial mindshifts, the information that helps reframe issues on the managerial agenda. Another implication is the importance of identifying driving forces for development-level issues. Identifying such driving forces can help managers to balance action and reflection. It can thus also help them to avoid the execution trap, a focus on execution at the expense of development efforts.