Responses to Organizational Change: Evolution of the Concept, Established Findings, and Future Directions

Organization members often complain about insufficient time to reflect collectively as they grapple with constant significant changes. The Learning History methodology can support this collective reflection. Given the scant empirical studies of this action research approach, the present paper fills this gap by giving an overview of this methodology and by presenting a qualitative study that answers the following research question: How does the Learning History methodology contribute to collective reflection among organization members during major organizational change? To answer this question, an empirical research project was led within five healthcare organizations in Canada during their implementation of the Planetree person-centered approach to management, care, and services. The data set includes 150 semi-structured interviews, 20 focus groups and 10 feedback meetings involving organization members representing all hierarchical levels in the five participating institutions. The results highlight the five types of contributions of the Learning History methodology to collective reflection within the five institutions that participated in the study: 1) a process of expression, dialogue, and reflection among organization members; 2) a portrait of the change underway; 3) a support tool for the change process; 4) a vector for mobilizing stakeholders; and 5) a source of organizational learning. The results also show how organization members’ collective reflection is built through the various stages of the Learning History methodology. By demonstrating that this collective reflection leads to true organizational learning, the findings position the Learning History as a research-action method useful both from a research standpoint and as an organizational development tool. In the conclusion, lessons learned using the LH approach are shared from a researcher’s perspective. This paper should interest researchers and practitioners who seek research methodologies that can offer an infrastructure for collective reflection to support organizational change and learning.

In this article I lay groundwork for a theory of practice related to organization members' dependency on change agents. A promising place to begin such a theory of practice is attachment theory, a framework developed in child developmental psychology that focuses on how relationships between children and attachment figures (typically parents) facilitate or undermine children feeling secure. Using material from an organizational diagnosis and change project I conducted from multiple theoretical perspectives, I show how I as a change agent created and undermined a secure attachment with organization members. I then offer implications about how change agents-as temporary attachment figures-may undermine or facilitate fundamental change in organization members' patterns of relating.

Organizational change becomes important when companies fail to accomplish planned goals in a turbulent business environment. However, successful change implementation becomes impossible without organizational members' change readiness. Resistance to change is a factor that can jeopardize change efforts the most, and change readiness reduces potential change resistance. Also, continuous learning of all organization members is an essential prerequisite for successful change implementation. The aim of this research is to analyze the impact of change readiness on change success and investigate the role of organizational learning capacity in this relationship. The study was conducted in September 2021, and the sample included 43 large companies operating in Croatia. The results of PLS-SEM analysis show that the impact of change readiness on the success of organizational change is fully mediated by organizational learning capacity.

Transformational leadership is about suggesting a vision for change, motivating the
 organization members, and considering each organization members. This study examined the
 effects of transformational leadership on four types of motivation, namely intrinsic motivation,
 identification motivation, external motivation, and amotivation, and the effects of these four
 types of motivation on proactive behavior and change-oriented organizational citizenship
 behavior. To verify the research model, we collected data from 278 employees working in
 Korean companies and conducted regression analysis and Bootstrapping. As a result of the
 empirical analysis, it is confirmed that all hypotheses of this study are supported.
 The theoretical implications of this study are that transformational leadership promotes
 employees’ proactive behavior and change-oriented organizational citizenship behavior through
 four types of motivation. Namely, this study reveal the mechanism by which transformational
 leadership affects these employees' behavior. In addition, This study suggests practical
 implications that leaders need to demonstrate transformational leadership in order to derive
 positive actions such as proactive behavior and change-oriented organizational citizenship
 behavior from their employees and Transformative leadership can motivate employees in
 organizational change so that employees can actively participate in organizational change.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the process of transformational organizational change that occurred over time in a small manufacturing firm using the conceptual framework of organizational change and archetypes.Design/methodology/approachThis longitudinal study – which is based on six cycles of interviews with all members of the firm over a two‐year period – examined how the change attempt was perceived by the strategic leadership, middle‐level managers, and lower‐level employees.FindingsThe findings suggest that the pace of archetypal change is influenced by organization members' experience with, and capacity to, assimilate the change; that, sequentially, new structures and systems are implemented prior to new interpretive schemes; and that unresolved excursions are non‐linear. These findings question the conventional wisdom about the importance of leadership in sustaining organizational transformation. Most notably, it was found that most of the archetypal change occurred after the initiating change agent (a new CEO) had left the firm and been replaced by the previous CEO who did not support the proposed changes.Originality/valueThe paper offers the first longitudinal study to examine the issue of substitutes for strategic leadership. In addition to two new substitutes that should be considered at this level of analysis – information systems and interpretive schemes – the data also point to the impact of collective action by mid‐level supervisors and employees.

The objectives of this research are : 1 ) to learn about the effect of Environment and Diciplin and Motivation to Performance at Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum Kabupaten Lumajang ; 2 ) to learn about the effect of Environment and Diciplin and Motivation partially to Performance at Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum Kabupaten Lumajang ; 3 ) to learn about the effect of Environment and Diciplin and Motivation that has dominant effect to Performance at Perusahaan Daerah Air Minum Kabupaten Lumajang. Where numbers of employee wich become the population are 60 persons respondent by spesialis. Data collection is by giving questionnaire toward respondents, interview upon organization member, and also viewing the document needed. The data collected is supported by assumption and reliability testing. The analysis model is supported by classic assumption testing ; multicolobierity test auto correlation test. To find out the accuracy of the model is by viewing determination coefficient, simultaneous hypothesis testing is taken by F test and partial hypothesis is taken by t test. From the double regression data analysis gained similarity regression line : Y = -1.435 + 0.330 X1 + 0.609 X2 + 0.156 X3 + e and founded that Hypothesis test result 1 : Fcount is 143.958 with probability 0,000 and Ftabel ( = 0,05; df 1=3; df2 = 60) is 2.769, it mean that Environment (X1) and Diciplin (X2) and Motivation ( X3) variables is simultan having effect to performance (Y), then the first hypothesis is accepted. Hypothesis 2 : Found that the value of tcount X1 is 3.059 and the value of ttabel is 2.003 and than tcount bigger the value ttabel 2.003, the second hypothesis is which stated about Environment (X1) and Diciplin (X2) and Motivation ( X3) variable is partially effect the performance (Y) is accepted. Diciplin (X2) is the dominantly variable wich giving effect toword performance with Standardized Coefficien Beta for variabel X2 is 0.425, it mean that performance (Y) can be exlaned by the variable of Diciplin (X2) there’s 42,5 percent. By that, the third hypothesis is accepted.

Gravity's pull: The identity-related motives and outcomes of hiring stars

Organizational culture has a significant impact on the organization members’ life and in general it helps a company to achieve positive financial results. Organizational culture is very important in achieving internal integration and implementation of the strategy of adaptation in the external environment. Therefore a lot of companies explore their organizational culture and leaders, if needed, seek consciously to form, develop and change organizational culture.The aim of the article is to analyze the theoretical attitudes towards organizational culture change, to present research results of furniture manufacturing company‘s organizational culture, to describe the aspects that had impact on the organizational culture change and the matrix of organizational culture management.The object of the research is factors that have impact on the organizational culture change.Methods of research: analysis and generalization of literature, opinion survey of organization members by means of the designed questionnaire and in-depth interview as well as comparative analysis.Results of the research show that organizational culture change during 2006–2008 can be described as the movement from the “hierarchy” type towards “adhocracy” type and the main factors that had made impact on the organizational culture change were persons from outside incorporated in the organization and the installation of new technology. The main conclusion of the article is that it is important to establish and ensure continuous monitoring of the organizational culture, to estimate factors that have impact on the organizational culture change and to establish the matrix of organizational culture management in order to manage organizational culture in the right direction.

This article examines how the European Union (EU) reacted to the protests that erupted in Belarus against the re-election of Alyaksandr Lukashenka in 2020 and the repressive measures he took against his political adversaries, using the conceptual lens of resilience and pragmatism, two concepts endorsed in the 2016 European Union Global Strategy (EUGS) that seem most appropriate for our analysis. However, while resilience is less demanding than the promotion of democracy, it can face obstacles created by a political leadership hostile to external influences, repressive measures against opposition forces and the support of a powerful external actor, in this case, Russia. The EU has thus designed a three-level strategy targeting the current leadership, the leaders of the opposition and the people. This tripartite approach may confer various different meanings on resilience, including resistance. The article reflects critically on resilience in complex situations, highlighting its features, advantages and limitations.

How did the arrival of growing numbers of refugees and migrants in a non-violent setting and high-income country like Norway become framed as a ‘humanitarian crisis’ and with what consequences? In this article, we examine the framing and responses to the influx of refugees and other migrants to Norway in 2015–16, in and around Oslo and in the Arctic region of Storskog, along the Russian border. Our analysis draws on two theoretical contributions: work on ‘crisis and chaos’ and the idea of ‘chaotic geographies’, and work on the ‘humanitarian arena’ . Taking a tripartite approach, we study how time, space and different levels of response (citizen volunteers, established humanitarian actors and the state) contributed to the framing of the situation as a humanitarian crisis, and the consequences of this. We show that Norway is a political and geographical outlier, and that the state’s response to this ‘humanitarian crisis’ and potentially chaotic situation was seen as both appropriate and legitimate. We argue this helped ‘de-escalate’ the chaotic geography.

This article focuses on the process affecting interpersonal trust in the workflow of organizations. We propose a dynamic model which highlights the impact of interpersonal communicative action in ongoing task negotiations in trust formation among organization members. According to our model, individuals approach initial negotiations with a baseline of trust in their organization which influences their initial level of cooperativeness and assertiveness when engaging in interpersonal task negotiations. Individuals' levels of cooperativeness and assertiveness then influences their communicative action (i.e., information acquisition, selection, and transmission), which, in turn, impacts the amount of trust these individuals perceive toward their counterpart (i.e., interpersonal trust). Finally, interpersonal trust impacts trust in the organization as a whole, at which point new tasks build on the previous cycle of negotiation and trust formation. We conclude by highlighting the conceptual contribution of the paper and its implications for both future research and organizational practices related to trust formation and workflow coordination.

Managers often consider that the ends that they pursue, as stewards of the shareholder interest, are given and that it is only the means of achieving them that merit consideration. Projects on which they seek management consultancy advice and assistance sometimes benefit shareholders at the expense of harm to other stakeholders, in particular employees, who have interests that should be considered. Projects aimed at changing corporate culture, often seen as necessary to bring about strategic organisational change, may do this. In the “Republic”, Plato had Socrates propose the telling of a “noble lie” as a means of creating the kind of unitary culture that was necessary to establish his ideal state. While Plato believed that his “noble lie” had a good purpose, many commentators regard his programme’s treatment of people as morally objectionable. Corporate culture change programmes also use story-telling to influence and even manipulate, organisation members’ beliefs, assumptions, and values. This chapter considers how far these programmes are similar to Plato’s programme for establishing his ideal state and open to similar moral objections. Management consultants are more than mere agents of their clients and ought to consider the moral content of the ends towards which they commit their efforts.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore political behaviours associated with the implementation of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in a public service organisation from an emerging market country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approachThe authors’ theoretical framework is based on the notions of trust, agent reflexivity, ontological security, routines, control and power proposed by Giddens (1984, 1990). The authors explore how the political behaviour of organisation members emanates from the introduction of an ERP system (particularly its accounting modules), and how the interaction between individual power, trust and control shaped its implementation process. The case study methodology relied on diverse data collection methods including semi-structured interviews, documentary evidence and personal observation.FindingsThe authors show that the accounting-based ERP system created an episode of discomfort in the organisation, which facilitated reflexivity and critical reflection by organisation members and led to a re-assessment of ways of thinking pre- and post-dating the implementation of the ERP system. The findings illustrate the entangled relationship between the new accounting-based ERP system and the feelings of trust emerging during organisational change.Practical implicationsAlthough case studies are intrinsically limited in terms of generalisability, the authors’ investigation provides practical insights into the management of the needs of trust, ontological security and sources of power experienced by organisation members, since the fulfilment of such needs is the underlying pillar which the success of ERP systems rests upon.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to apply Giddens’ (1984, 1990) conceptualisation to examine organisation change caused by the implementation of an accounting-based ERP system in an emerging market economy.

Organizational change is a key mechanism to ensure the sustainability of healthcare systems. However, healthcare organizations are persistently difficult to change, and literature is riddled with examples of failed change endeavors. In this chapter, we attempt to unravel the underlying causes for failed organizational change. We distinguish three types of change with different levels of depth that require different change approaches. Transformations are the deepest forms of change where beliefs and principles need to be modified to successfully influence routines. Renewals are deep forms of change where principles need to be modified to successfully influence routines. Improvements are shallow forms of change where only modifications at the level of routines are needed. Using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) as our metaphor, we propose a theory of "organizational DNA" to understand organizations and these three types of organizational changes. We posit that organizations are made up of a double helix consisting of a so-called "social string," which contains the "soft" interaction or communication among the organization's members, and a so-called "technical string," which contains "hard" organizational aspects such as structure and technology. Ladders of organizational nucleotides (i.e., Routines, Principles, and Beliefs) connect this double helix in various combinations. Together, the double helix and accompanying nucleotides make up the DNA of an organization. Without knowledge of the architecture of organizational DNA and whether a change addresses beliefs, principles, and/or routines, we believe that organizational change is constrained and based on luck rather than change management expertise. Following this metaphor, we show that organizational change fails when it attempts to change one part of the DNA (e.g., routines) in a way that renders it incompatible with the connecting components (e.g., principles and beliefs). We discuss how the theory can be applied in practice using an exemplar case.

BackgroundThe International Health Regulations (IHRs) (2005) was developed with the aim of governing international responses to public health risks and emergencies. The document requires all 194 World Health Organization (WHO) Member States to detect, assess, notify and report any potential public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under specific timelines. Annex 2 of the IHR outlines decision-making criteria for State-appointed National Focal Points (NFP) to report potential PHEICs to the WHO, and is a critical component to the effective functioning of the IHRs.MethodsThe aim of the study was to review and evaluate the functioning of Annex 2 across WHO-reporting States Parties. Specific objectives were to ascertain NFP awareness and knowledge of Annex 2, practical use of the tool, activities taken to implement it, its perceived usefulness and user-friendliness. Qualitative telephone interviews, followed by a quantitative online survey, were administered to NFPs between October, 2009 and February, 2010.ResultsA total of 29 and 133 NFPs participated in the qualitative and quantitative studies, respectively. Qualitative interviews found most NFPs had a strong working knowledge of Annex 2; perceived the tool to be relevant and useful for guiding decisions; and had institutionalized management, legislation and communication systems to support it. NFPs also perceived Annex 2 as human and disease-centric, and emphasized its reduced applicability to potential PHEICs involving bioterrorist attacks, infectious diseases among animals, radio-nuclear and chemical spills, and water- or food-borne contamination. Among quantitative survey respondents, 88% reported having excellent/good knowledge of Annex 2; 77% reported always/usually using Annex 2 for assessing potential PHEICs; 76% indicated their country had some legal, regulatory or administrative provisions for using Annex 2; 95% indicated Annex 2 was always/usually useful for facilitating decisions regarding notifiability of potential PHEICs.ConclusionThis evaluation, including a large sample of WHO-reporting States Parties, found that the IHR's Annex 2 is perceived as useful for guiding decisions about notifiability of potential PHEICs. There is scope for the WHO to expand training and guidance on application of the IHR's Annex 2 to specific contexts. Continued monitoring and evaluation of the functioning of the IHR is imperative to promoting global health security.