Organizational Change Perspective Research Articles

Privatization, organizational change and performance: evidence from Indonesia

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between privatization of state‐owned enterprises (SOEs), organizational change and performance. It explores the processes by which privatization affects corporate performance through the internal changes within organizations in a developing country context.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology involved the use of a survey questionnaire. Responses were obtained from 86 managers in 86 organizations, comprised of SOEs, privatized firms and private enterprises in Indonesia.FindingsCross‐sectional analysis shows that there had been a statistical significant difference across the types of ownership pertaining to organizational elements that were expected to change. The evidence suggested that privatization brought about important alignments among the organization's goals, design elements and resources and between the organization and its competitive environment.Practical implicationsThe implications of the study are discussed in relation to the organizational changes that take place in the transition from public to private sector ownership. The study contributes to our understanding about the relationship between ownership‐performance by providing an organizational change perspective on the examination of privatization‐performance effect.Originality/valueThe paper provides insights into how privatization processes alter the behavior, incentives and performance of formerly SOEs in Indonesia.

Inovação no setor público: uma análise do choque de gestão (2003-10) sob a ótica dos servidores e dos preceitos teóricos relacionados à inovação no setor público

Este artigo - de cunho qualitativo e abordagem interpretacionista - analisa o choque de gestão (CG), política de governo do estado de Minas Gerais iniciada em 2003 e com metas previstas até 2023. O principal objetivo foi verificar em que medida o modelo de gestão mineiro inovou tendo em vista duas perspectivas: a opinião dos atores envolvidos na construção, implementação e avaliação do CG, e os preceitos teóricos da inovação no setor público. O quadro teórico de referência levou em consideração as abordagens e perspectivas da mudança organizacional, enfatizando a realidade da inovação na administração pública brasileira. Ao todo, 70 servidores públicos submeteram-se a entrevistas semiestruturadas e tiveram suas percepções coletadas e estudadas. Dos resultados observados, pôde-se averiguar que o choque foi uma mudança de cunho estritamente gerencial, que inovou em termos estratégico, tecnológico, estrutural e de controle; não obtendo o mesmo êxito em relação às dimensões humana, cultural e política da mudança.

Challenge of improving postoperative pain management: case studies of three acute pain services in the UK National Health Service

Previous national survey research has shown significant deficits in routine postoperative pain management in the UK. This study used an organizational change perspective to explore in detail the organizational challenges faced by three acute pain services in improving postoperative pain management. Case studies were conducted comprising documentary review and semi-structured interviews (71) with anaesthetists, surgeons, nurses, other health professionals, and managers working in and around three broadly typical acute pain services. Although the precise details differed to some degree, the three acute pain services all faced the same broad range of inter-related challenges identified in the organizational change literature (i.e. structural, political, cultural, educational, emotional, and physical/technological challenges). The services were largely isolated from wider organizational objectives and activities and struggled to engage other health professionals in improving postoperative pain management against a background of limited resources, turbulent organizational change, and inter- and intra-professional politics. Despite considerable efforts they struggled to address these challenges effectively. The literature on organizational change and quality improvement in health care suggests that it is only by addressing the multiple challenges in a comprehensive way across all levels of the organization and health-care system that sustained improvements in patient care can be secured. This helps to explain why the hard work and commitment of acute pain services over the years have not always resulted in significant improvements in routine postoperative pain management for all surgical patients. Using this literature and adopting a whole-organization quality improvement approach tailored to local circumstances may produce a step-change in the quality of routine postoperative pain management.

E‐business and organizational change: a structurational approach

Abstract. Although e‐business is a familiar part of the organizational landscape, its implementation remains a problem for large traditional organizations. This paper argues that the pervasiveness of e‐business calls for the adoption of an organizational change perspective to study its implementation. Using structuration theory, the paper analyzes a detailed case study of the implementation of a major e‐business initiative in a traditional automotive manufacturer. It shows how a combination of structural contradictions and unexpected consequences derailed the initiative.

Analysis of the knowledge creation process: an organizational change perspective

Knowledge creation (KC) is an important issue in a knowledge society. Organizational change is required to facilitate KC which embraces knowledge access and selection, knowledge diffusion, knowledge application, and knowledge storage. In this paper, three momenta of organizational change are reviewed and integrated. Knowledge access and selection driven by institutional regulation takes place in the beginning phase, knowledge diffusion and knowledge application driven by rationality in the subsequent phase, and knowledge storage driven by structural inertia in the last phase. Once the right momentum influences organizational change in the wrong phase, KC can rarely be accomplished.

Environmental accounting as workplace activism

Drawing on a case study of a Canadian City Council, the paper argues for the utility of a ‘social movements in organizations’ perspective [Zald MN, Berger MA. Social movements in organizations: coup d’etat, insurgency, and mass movements. American Journal of Sociology 1978;83(4):823–61; Zald MN, Morrill C, Roa H. The impact of social movements on organizations: environment and responses. In: Davis GF, McAdam D, Scott WR, Zald MN, editors. Social movements and organization theory. Cambridge University Press; 2005. p. 253–79] in environmental accounting research. It demonstrates how environmental accounting is used by employees to build an organizational response to environmental issues, and argues that beyond conventional legitimacy or organizational change perspectives, there is a further analytical possibility: environmental accounting as ‘workplace activism’ [Creed D, Scully M. Songs of ourselves: employees’ deployment of social identity in workplace encounters. Journal of Management Inquiry 2000;9(4):391–412]. The findings raise questions about how we evaluate environmental accounting interventions, and about a role for research in helping environmental movement adherents on the inside of organizations to stay engaged and avoid premature capture.

Disciplined imagination: Building scenarios and building theories

This article outlines a relationship between scenario construction and theory building. This is done in two key ways: (1) it is argued that a deficiency of theory and theory building exists with regard to the phenomenon of scenario construction and (2) it is also argued that scenario construction may constitute a form of theory building. These arguments are developed using foundational works that label both scenario construction and theory building as processes of disciplined imagination. Drawing from other core works in management and organizational change perspectives the argument is developed that scenario construction might most appropriately be thought of as a process of developing and changing theories-in-use. Conclusions and implications for management professionals are drawn.

Implementing the role of patient-navigator nurse at a university hospital centre

A profile of the role and functions of an oncology patient-navigator nurse (OPN) and the preliminary phases to implementing this role within a team specializing in oncology are first presented. This is followed by a qualitative study that provides a descriptive assessment for implementing an initial OPN in the head and neck oncology area of a university hospital centre (UHC) with a supraregional model for oncology. Three groups of stakeholders (individuals with cancer and families, caregivers, network partners) were interviewed on three occasions: before, during and after implementation. The results show that this new role can be integrated within a team specializing in oncology. The beneficial effects of this role on the process of adaptation to illness, interdisciplinary work and continuity of care are described. Several recommendations are formulated, one being the importance of situating the implementation process from an organizational change perspective.

Allocative efficiency of technically inefficient production units

We discuss how to measure allocative efficiency without presuming technical efficiency. This is relevant when it is easier to introduce reallocations than improvements of technical efficiency. We compare the approach to the traditional one of assuming technical efficiency before measuring allocative efficiency. In particular, we develop necessary and sufficient conditions in the technology to ensure consistent measures, we suggest alternative interpretations of the approaches, and we relate them to motivational and organizational change perspectives.

The Implementation of a Quality System in the Care Sector for Elderly and Handicapped People: A Swedish Case Study

This paper presents the empirical research results conducted in a Swedish care organization for elderly and handicapped. The objective of the research was to empirically assess the implementation and practices of a quality system (ISO 9000) from an organizational change and development perspective. The empirical data were collected through multiple methods; interviews were carried out with key‐persons and leadership in the organisation and surveys were conducted to all employees. Interactive methods have been applied to various groups in the organisations e.g., directors, supervisors, and the leadership of the quality project and the local politicians. The empirical findings indicate, among others, taht the implementation processes were received and perceived differently in the different parts of the care organisation due to different leadership strategies and employee involvement policies. Other critical factors such as acceptance, resistance, motivation, commitment, the role of leadership, learning possibility, etc. have also been investigated, analysed and discussed. Finally some recommendations on how to approach organisational change as well as strategies for implementing a quality system in the care sector are presented.

Learning to See Differently: Viewing Technology Diffusion in Teacher Education through the Lens of Organizational Change

While the discussion on the topic of technology diffusion in teacher education primarily centers on course design, program development, and faculty technology training, this article explores technology diffusion from the perspective of organizational change. Technology diffusion in teacher education is a multi-faceted task and, therefore, requires multi-dimensional approaches. Systemic technology diffusion involves a paradigm shift in thinking about organizational change. The balance of this article applies this paradigm shift to analyze some seemingly puzzling phenomena that has occurred in the technology diffusion process and, thus, to help leaders of IT change initiatives to increase the chances of successful implementation.

Corporate Social Responsibility Starts at University

The author addresses the question of how to use value-learning processes to integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) in organizations as an interesting challenge in (higher) education. Two strategies have been proposed for the issue of CSR: a compliance strategy and a cultural change strategy (Karssing, 2001). This article focuses on the ethical and philosophical presuppositions of these different approaches. The incorporation of CSR in organizations cannot be accomplished by means of a compliance strategy only. Rather, it needs to be supplemented by a strategy aimed at stimulating a transformation process on the corporate culture level. The perspective of change through dialogue is proposed as a means of innovating the curriculum and the primary processes of student education. This organizational change perspective is demonstrated by describing how (ethical) reflective aspects are integrated in the curriculum of the Free University of Amsterdam. An additional case study on organizational value learning is presented to illustrate the thesis that CSR presupposes that university is an adequate context where life-long learning begins.

Potential impacts to process safety management from mergers, acquisitions, downsizing, and re‐engineering

AbstractCorporate organizational mergers, acquisitions, downsizing, and re‐engineering can greatly impact Process Safety Management (PSM) programs and, ultimately, PSM performance. Almost every organization has experienced some degree of change in organizational staffing. A primary objective of this paper is to identify potential adverse impacts to PSM resulting from ineffectively managed organizational changes. Several process safety incidents are examined from an organizational change perspective. In addition, options and strategies are offered for preventing or mitigating adverse consequences associated with these changes.

The Impact of Information Technology Investment on Enterprise Performance: A Case Study

Investment in information technology is steadily increasing, but many organizations find it difficult to formally assess the value of IT investments because the latter are often incorporated into broad management initiatives. the authors believe that the results of the research study reported on here can help firms to develop a better understanding of the dynamic relationship between IT investment and performance at both the firm and industry levels of analysis. This study clearly demonstrates the importance of adopting an organizational change perspective when assessing the impact of IT investment on firm performance.

An organizational change perspective on the value of modeling

The modeling activity is central to management science practice since it can facilitate the systematic investigation of problems and issues faced by organizations. In this paper we argue that management science modeling can also initiate significant organizational change, even in the absence of a successful implementation. We categorize these changes as (1) knowledge creation and dissemination; and (2) altered coordination and communication patterns. We illustrate our points using numerous examples and two brief cases, one American and one French. Both cases are successful implementations, but both also provide additional, identifiable benefits that can be linked to the notion of organizational change. We conclude with a set of recommendations for the modeler.

Preventing workplace harassment: an organizational change perspective

Illegal workplace harassment has become an increasingly significant issue. While most articles have focused on the legal and/or practical steps necessary for employers to avoid litigation, a neglected issue is how to prevent illegal harassment more effectively. Describes an organization change approach to developing an environment of mutual respect. When harassment prevention is examined from this perspective, the critical issues involve how to increase awareness about harassment, how to incorporate employee input and involvement in the change process, and how to develop employee responsibility for maintaining a harassment‐free work environment. Recommendations encourage managers to change the way they approach the problem of harassment.