ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on an important aspect of the organisational context: the managerial micro-environment within which the individual works. The increasing importance of managerial skills in scientific research is explored. The chapter highlights two important aspects of management. The first is the impact of management responsibility on career development from the perspective of the individual scientist. The second aspect is the impact upon the careers of scientists of variations in commitment and interpretation of the management task by their superiors. Even scientists who choose the ‘scientific ladder’ in contemporary organisations are unable to avoid all management or team responsibility-although by taking this route, they do opt out of managing large departments. The chapter analyses more closely the influence of different interpretations of the management role upon the careers of scientists. At one extreme, managers take a great deal of interest in and responsibility for development of the careers of their subordinates, whereas others are demanding but insensitive to the individual.
