IMPLEMENTATION STYLE AND USE OF IMPLEMENTATION APPROACHES

Managers are called on to select among implementation approaches accor ding to situational demands. This paper examines factors that influenc e this selection. To conduct such a study, managers' views of the prag matics (prospects of success and resistance), potential use, and ethic s of several implementation approaches were systematically collected. Explanatory variables included the participating managers' characteris tics (level, gender, and experience) and the situation (participative or control-oriented climates). 'Implementation style', which measures a manager's preferences for a given implementation approach, was also included as an explanatory factor. The study found that managers had a repertoire of implementation approaches and used some of the approach es contingently. However, managers preferred to me implementation appr oaches that did not match the demands of the situation. Also, the mana gers' implementation style influenced their selection and use of imple mentation approaches. The implications of these findings for managers and management are discussed.