The Puzzling Nature of Organizational Change Models

Sally Bennett

Video Clip

http://viscog.beckman.uiuc.edu/grafs/demos/15.html

Watch the three basketball players in white t-shirts. How many times do they pass the ball to one another?

Change A response to

meaningful information

A “disturbance” of a system

A method of self-preservation

Natural progression, constant force

From or To?

Changing from something “We gotta get out of this place!”

Changing to something “There’s a place for us…”

Doing both Frankly, where are we now? Where do we want to be? What constitutes progress?

Kinds of Change

Incremental Tweaking the system or

process Transitional

Restructuring, reorganizing

Transformational New vision, new mission,

new values

John Kotter

Planned vs. Unplanned Change

Planned change – deliberate endeavor to impact an organization to make a difference; goal oriented

Routine Expected Maintenance of organization

Planned vs. Unplanned Change

Unplanned change – unexpected result of some large-scale force beyond local control

Reactionary Unanticipated Response to outside influence

Models of Changes

Rational

Social

Organic

Political

Rational Organization

ExamplesEfficientCalculatedStrong rationalityTechnically proficientKnowledge-basedImpersonalUniversal applicability Lincoln, Y. (Ed.). (1985). Organizational theory and inquiry. California: Sage Publications. p. 47.

Non-examplesInefficientUnpredictableIrrationalIncompetentIgnorantCreativeLocal applicability

Definition

A tightly coupled organization with clearly established boundaries that functions in a linear fashion.

CharacteristicsRelates to Taylor’s theory of scientific managementPromotes mindset of top down managementDepersonalizes individual Promotes adherence to explicit rules and procedures

Social Organizations

Definition

A more loosely coupled organization that takes into account the interaction between the nomothetic and the ideographic dimensions.

Characteristics

•Introduced by Gretzels & Guba

•Bottom-up approach

nomotheticideographic

Examples

EfficientCalculatedRationalOperationalIntegratedOpen to explorationIndividual concerns

Non-examples

Inefficient

Unpredictable

Irrational

Closed systemimpersonal

Living Organizations

Definition

A self-organizing organization with the ability to adapt and to

sustain.

Characteristics

Change viewed as organizing force.

Experimentation as norm.

High level of involvement.

Inter-dependent

Non-examples

Inflexible

No sustainability

No change capacity

Non-renewing

Artificial intelligence

Examples

Adaptive

Flexible

Self-renewing

Resilient

Learning

Wheatley, M. (2005). Finding our way. CA: Berrett-Koehler Publisher. p. 32

Political Organization

Definition

An organization concerned with an external power base desirous of maintaining a broad base of support.

Characteristics

Concerned with power

Top down approach

Constituent issues

Jungle metaphor

Non-examples

Shared authority

Involved

Participatory

Examples

Administrative

Policy-based

Coalition seeking

Collective bargaining

Exploring Root Causes

Events – What just happened?

Patterns/Trends- What’s been happening? Have we been here or some place similar before?

Systemic Structures-What are the forces at play contributing to these patterns?

Mental Models-What about our thinking allows this situation to persist?

Senge, P. (2000), Schools that Learn

What determines the “looseness” of an organization? Rules

How many? What do they control? How much “wiggle-room” is there? How much agreement? Are consequences defined?

FeedbackHow responsive? How timely? What is the

level of interactivity? Attentiveness

How consistent? How is it monitored? How responsive to changes in the environment?

Education as Loosely Coupled Organization

Limited inspection/evaluation Unspecified goals Lack of control over “raw” materials Weak causal link to determine effects on

student achievement Unfocused use of technology

ChangeImplementation Models

Change Process

Management Iceberg 3-Step

Model

Campaign Approach TQM

Strategic Planning

Knowledge Mgmt

Levels of Use

Sigmoud Curve

Change Process of Shashkin & Egermeier

Fix the parts

Fix the people

Fix the school

Fix the systemNorman, S. (2001.) The human face of school reform.

National forum of educational administration and supervision journal. (17E: 4).

Change Management Iceberg – Wilfried KrügerQuality

TimeCostIssue

Management

Promoters

Opponents

Potential Promoters

Hidden Opponents

Acceptance

+ +

_ _

Attitude Behavior

Management of Perceptions and Beliefs

Power and Politics Management

3-Step Model of Change Management (Lewin)

Unfreezing

Implementing

Refreezing

Campaign Approach to Change “Listen In” element –

seeks to determine future direction

Strategize Theme – provides direction for the campaign

Sweep People In – involves and energizes

Build infrastructure – enables change

Strategic Planning Scan environment Evaluate issues Forecast Set goals Implement Monitor

Howell, E. (2000). Strategic planning for a new century.

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Leadership Strategic planning Human resources Process management Information/analysis Customer focus Business results

Knowledge Management

Levels of UseHall & Hord

Level 0 – Nonuse – teacher has little knowledge of innovation and has no plans for its implementation

Level 1 – Orientation – teacher seeks out more information about innovation yet not made a decision regarding implementation

Level 2 – Preparation – teacher actively prepares to implement innovation in classroom but has not actually begun implementation

Level 3 – Mechanical – begins to actually implement innovation; may struggle with logistics (lesson planning, classroom management, record keeping) as well as developing new teaching skills; may attempt teacher-centered innovation

Level 4 – Routine – teacher has pattern of regular use of innovation; may attempt changes and adaptations in innovation, though unlikely

Level 4B – Refinement – teachers asses impact of the innovation on the student and initiates changes that are student-centered

Level 5 – Integration – teachers work collaboratively to make changes in the innovation that will benefit students; extends beyond individual classroom

Level 6 – Renewal – teacher makes major change in innovation and/or explores alternative practices

Sigmoud Curve

Handy, C. (Spring 2002).

Wheatley’s Views on Organizational Change

Participation is not optional. Directives are not obeyed. Each person creates his or her own

illusion of reality. Improving the living organization relies on

increased interdependence within the organization.

Food for thought… All progress requires change. But not all

change is progress. John Wooden

Continuity gives us roots; change gives us branches, letting us stretch and grow and reach new heights. Pauline Kezer

Things do not change; we change. Henry David Thoreau

Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine. Robert Gallagher

And finally… 1) I walk down the street. There is a deep

hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost.. I am hopeless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I’m in the same place. But it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in…it’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.

I walk around it. 5) I walk down another street.

Olsen, W. & Sommers, B. (2004). A trainer’s companion: Stories to stimulate reflection, conversation, & action. TX: aha! Process. p. 114

References Baldridge, J. & Deal, T. (Ed.). (1983). The dynamics of organizational change in education.

Berkeley, California: McCutchan Publishing Corporation.

Chaudron, D. Re-engineering and tqm: approaches to organizational change told as a “tale of three villages”. Organized Change Consultancy. Retrieved from www.organizedchange.com on September 20, 2005.

Egmon, J. Integrating of learning and knowledge management into work. Retrieved from www.apqc.org/portal/apqc/ksn on October 2, 2005.

Hall, G. & Hord, S. (2001). Implementing change. Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon.

Handy, C. (Spring 2002). Elephants and fleas: is your organization prepared for change? Leader to Leader. 24.

Hirschhorn, L. The campaign approach to change – organizational change in higher education. Retrieved from www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1254/is_3_32/ai_62828425/print

on December 1, 2004.

Howell, E. (2000). Strategic planning for a new century: process over product. RetrievedSeptember 20, 2004, from ERIC Clearinghouse.

References

Kruger, W. Change iceberg. Retrieved from www.valuebasedmanagement.net on September 24, 2005.

Lincoln, Y. (1985). Organization theory and inquiry. California: Sage Publications.

McElroy, M. (2000). Integrating complexity theory, knowledge management and organizational learning. Journal of Knowledge Management. 4(3). 195-203.

Norman, S. (2001.) The human face of school reform. National forum of educational administration and supervision journal. (17E: 4).

Olsen, W. & Sommers, B. (2004). A trainer’s companion: Stories to stimulate reflection, conversation, & action. TX: aha! Process. p. 114

Pearce, L. (2004). Future challenges for e-government: new government, digital government: managing the transformation. Retrieved from http:/www.agimo.gov.au/publications/2004/05/egovt_challenges/issues/transformation/change_model on September 24, 2005.

Senge, P. (2000). Schools that learn. New York: Doubleday.

Simons, D. (2003). Surprising studies of visual awareness. Champagne, IL: VisCog Productions.

Strategic Leadership and Decision Making. National Defense University. Retrieved on September 19, 2005, http://www.ndu.edu/inss/books .

References Tari', J. (2005). Components of successful total quality management. The TQM Magazine.

17(2). 182-194.

Wheatley, M. (2005). Finding our way. San Francisco, California: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

Williamson, V. (1999). Innovation and change in professional practice: meaning to change and changing the meaning. Western Australia: Curtin University of Technology. Conference presentation.