Stress causes imbalance but coping with it restores balance. Coping with stress means managing the potential stressors or stressful situations to minimize their harmful consequences and involves individual appraisal in relation to one's coping resources. Individuals at different management (hierarchical) levels have different perspectives, focus and thrust. They have different learning experiences and their perceptions differ. Coping depends on cognitive appraisal which is influenced by perception and learning. It is, therefore, hypothesized that there are significant differences in the coping strategies adopted across all management levels. In this paper, eight types of coping strategies were measured across the three management levelsjunior, middle and seniorin a public sector organization, using RolePICS (O), involving 155 randomly selected executives. Statistical analysis has revealed significant differences in the adoption of coping strategies across the management levels in an organization. While `defensive' is the dominant coping strategy, `intropersistive' is the backup coping strategy across the three management levels; and `impunitive and defensive coping strategies' are stronger at the junior management level as compared to middle management level. Since `extrapersistive coping strategy' is weaker at the junior management level as compared to middle management level, middle management is adopting more functional coping strategies as compared to the junior management.

Stress is the result of a mismatch between a person and his/her environment and the perceived inability to cope with the constraints or demands encountered (Harrison, 1976). Stress arises from an opportunity, demand, constraint, threat or challenge when the outcome of the event is important and uncertain (Robbins, 2003, p. 577). Stress is caused by internal or external demands that upset the balance of an individual and affect his/her physical and psychological wellbeing (Lazarus and Cohen 1977). Uncertainties and unexpected changes are common in our lives. People often do not behave as we expect. Major events are often beyond our control and things do not work out as we want. Stress is, therefore, unavoidable in human life (Pestonjee, 1999, pp. 1534).

`Organizational Role' (Pareek, 1993, pp. 320; 2002, pp. 477491) is a position in an organization, which is defined by the expectations of the significant people therein. Role occupant performs certain functions to fulfill his/her role expectations. The concept of organizational role and occupation thereof has inherent potential for stress.

Coping Strategy for Role Stress Across Management Levels, potential stressors, public sector organization, intropersistive', middle management, organizational role, internal or external demands, junior management level, Statistical analysis.