The extensification of managerial work in the digital age: Middle managers, spatio-temporal boundaries and control

How has the experience of managerial work changed in digital age? This two-phase (2002–2006, 2015–2019) study addresses this question by examining how middle managers perceive spatio-temporal boundaries their to have shifted. Typically, such report change occurring two directions: (i) contractual employment boundary becoming stretched as hours completed inside workplace increase; and (ii) breached conduct additional voluntarily from locations outside corporate premises. Although trends can be explained deterministically – former stemming acceptance consultancy-influenced organizational prescriptions (business process reengineering, lean management, agile management etc.), latter widespread adoption communication innovations (BlackBerry, email, WhatsApp etc.) we argue that achieve a more rounded appreciation ‘extensification’ attention must also paid agentic forces strategic political choice. Developing argument, acknowledging paradox when theorizing change, suggest future research on entail documenting not only factors influencing stretching breaching boundaries, but given incipient regulations innovative surveillance technologies others serving strengthen protect them, notably those directed at improving work–life balance physical/psychological health.