"Middle management remains a term associated with relentless downsizing, corporate drudgery, and career dead ends. Paul Osterman has captured a different picture through in-depth interviews and his analysis of over thirty years of employment data. Middle managers are wealthier, more productive, and more autonomous than expected - and they derive a great deal of pleasure from their day-to-day work." "But there's another side to the story: while middle managers have maintained their commitment to their tasks and to their colleagues, they are increasingly cynical about and distant from their organizations. They are confused about their future and how to manage their careers."--Jacket.

What's happened to middle managers? -- New realities: the shifting context of middle management -- Middle management by the numbers: what do the data show? -- The changing role of middle management: what's new at work? -- Careers in the middle: climbing the ladder or not -- Shifting commitments: where do loyalties now lie? -- Middle management: today and tomorrow.