"My Way or the Highway": Construct Definition, Measure Development and Validation of the Micromanagement Scale

Abstract

Micromanagement is a popular topic in management circles, where its negative reputation is palpable. Surprisingly, academics have not shared this interest, resulting in a deficient understanding of micromanagement, marred by disjointed definitions and paradoxical views. This dissertation research programme contributes to organisational behaviour literature by clarifying the construct and measure of micromanagement through a series of five converging studies aimed at addressing the following goals: (1) clarifying the construct of micromanagement, (2) developing a psychometrically reliable and valid measure for micromanagement and (3) verifying a preliminary nomological network of the antecedents and consequences of micromanagement. The studies spanned three phases: Phase 1 construct definition (Study 1), Phase 2 scale development (Studies 2 and 3), and Phase 3 construct validation (Studies 4 and 5). Through its theoretical, empirical, and practical contributions, this dissertation programme lays the foundation and paves the way for future scholarship on micromanagement in the context of work.