学会誌

　A qualitative study was conducted on middle managers’ interactions with their seniors influencing development of middle managers as leaders. Among managers working for Japanese small-to-medium sized manufacturing firms operating globally, middle managers and their immediate senior managers who can objectively be considered developing as leaders were selected
as samples of the study, and then primary data obtained through multiple interviews to middle and senior managers.
　Findings of the research suggest that out of factors characterizing middle managers’ interactions with their seniors, perceived mutual trust, perceived senior’s resource and perceived reception are confirmed as elements strongly recognized by middle managers, while behind-the-scenes risk management and hidden emotional management are identified as those recognized only by seniors. Another suggestion obtained from the study is that such interactions, as a result, maintain a relationship where the middle manager is consistently the origin of a change, which may facilitate development of the middle manager as a leader. Future research is also discussed.