AMBIGUITIES AND DILEMMAS OF MANAGERIAL WORK

Abstract

This paper aims at contributing to the understanding of the manager's work in organizations, specially concerning the ambiguities and the dilemmas these professionals are supposed to face in their quotidian practice. First, the theoretical development about the work of the manager is shown, considering his roles, functions, status, power, ambiguities, dilemmas and troubles in his daily work. Moreover it is important to consider the adoption of management patterns as a power mechanism to regulate the managerial action. Hence, the managerial work in the present context is analyzed with the help of some psicosociology concepts, specially individual and subject, autonomy and heteronomy. Management as a social practice is also emphasized to understand the managerial action. Finally, a case study of five middle managers of a Brazilian informatics firm is discussed. The results point out the predomination of the heteronymous individual who despite fighting goes on tied down to the strategic trap of the modern organization.