Business: Conceptualizations of Organizational Change Viewed Through the Lens of Power: A Tutorial for the Speech-Language Pathologist/Audiologist Administrator

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-17
Author(s):  
Patrick R. Walden
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Health Care Organizations ◽  
Social Power ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Organization Level ◽  
Speech Language Pathologist ◽  
Constant State ◽  
Theories Of Change ◽  
Or Organization

Both educational and health care organizations are in a constant state of change, whether triggered by national, regional, local, or organization-level policy. The speech-language pathologist/audiologist-administrator who aids in the planning and implementation of these changes, however, may not be familiar with the expansive literature on change in organizations. Further, how organizational change is planned and implemented is likely affected by leaders' and administrators' personal conceptualizations of social power, which may affect how front line clinicians experience organizational change processes. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to introduce the speech-language pathologist/audiologist-administrator to a research-based classification system for theories of change and to review the concept of power in social systems. Two prominent approaches to change in organizations are reviewed and then discussed as they relate to one another as well as to social conceptualizations of power.

The demoralization of society and the proliferation of organization

Kybernetes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kurt Rachlitz ◽  
Benjamin Grossmann-Hensel ◽  
Ronja Friedl
Keyword(s):  
Social Systems ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Alternative Possibilities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Love Relationships ◽  
Social Forms ◽  
Or Organization ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeIn this paper, the authors aim to clarify the relationship between organization and society. They argue that the proliferation of organization in modernity has not yet been properly understood in light of the absence of organization in premodern times. The authors therefore ask: Why do organizations proliferate? Why do they proliferate in such manifold organizational forms? And how can these heterogeneous forms nevertheless be related to a common problem to which organizations provide a solution? A comparative historical analysis based on the theory of social systems reveals that organizations fill a gap which the decline of morality as an integrative success medium created.Design/methodology/approachThe paper develops a conceptual framework focusing on the theory of media within Luhmann’s theory of social systems as a point of departure. The authors discuss the concept of “interpenetration” to assess the relation between morality and organization. They raise several follow-up questions for future empirical research, most prominently pertaining to the relationship between organization and digitalization.FindingsThe main finding is that morality can be conceptualized as a specific success medium (alongside religion and symbolically generalized communication media) which used to structure premodern societies by means of social and interhuman interpenetration at once. Modern society instead employs two differentiated forms of interpenetration: Social interpretation through organizations and interhuman interpenetration through love relationships. These centripetal counterforces help to mediate the centrifugal forces unleashed by the full development of modern success media. Modern society critically depends on the proliferation of organizations.Originality/valueThis paper examines the relationship between morality and organization not from the perspective of interaction or organization, but from the perspective of society. This approach provides novel insights in that it opens up promising avenues of comparison between organization and other social forms. Understanding the distinctively modern “success story” of organization as a social form makes it possible to ask about corresponding potentials and limitations, but also alternative possibilities. In doing so, the authors depart from most studies of organizations grounded in social systems theory as the authors primarily focus on Luhmann’s theory of media (as opposed to the theory of differentiation).

scholarly journals Organizational Posttraumatic Growth: Thriving After Adversity

2020 ◽  
pp. 002188632093111
Author(s):  
Benjamin N. Alexander ◽  
Bruce E. Greenbaum ◽  
Abraham B. (Rami) Shani ◽  
Yoram Mitki ◽  
Arik Horesh
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Posttraumatic Growth ◽  
Traumatic Events ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Trauma Research ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Senior Leader ◽  
Organization Level ◽  
Organizational Trauma

This research explores organizational trauma and the phenomenon of organizational posttraumatic growth (OPTG). Many organizations experience traumatic events, events that disrupt core organizational activities. While some affected organizations never recover their prior level of well-being, others surpass their pretrauma state. This research explores this phenomenon by examining how one organization, which was traumatized by a substantial theft committed by a senior leader, emerged transformed and stronger. In the exploration of this intriguing phenomenon, we extend individual-level trauma research to the organization level to address how OPTG occurs. We draw on these findings to chart paths for future research on OPTG and organizational change and consider their implications for development and change practitioners in organizations experiencing trauma.

Leading change for success: embracing resistance

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 512-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbas Nadim ◽  
Parbudyal Singh
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Systems Theory ◽  
Open Systems ◽  
Resistance To Change ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Organizational Survival ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Open Systems Theory ◽  
Systems Model ◽  
Scant Attention

Purpose Organizational change is one of the most researched issues in management and leadership. Change is generally viewed as necessary, with positive outcomes for all stakeholders. Resistance is consequently seen as a surprising outcome. However, much of the management literature focuses on change as organizational dynamics-driven, especially by those at the top, in the interests of those at the top, often with scant attention to the role of employees. The purpose of this paper is to take a different perspective, grounded in the systems theory. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. The authors critically examine theoretical explanations of resistance to change in organizations and offer an alternative perspective. Findings Systems theorists have addressed change, and its necessity in organizational survival, using an open systems model. The open systems theory posits that organizations are social systems that have purposes of their own and is made of parts (employees) that are purposeful and operate within a purposeful larger system – the environment (stakeholders). Change that ignores a key part – employees – will be resisted. Originality/value Using the systems theory, the authors propose several suggestions for organizational leaders and managers to implement sustainable change. These include, among others, recommendations on circular organizational designs, the need for more democratic organizations, purposeful leadership styles and how to include employees in proactive organizational change processes.

The changer and the changed

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. Laursen ◽  
Kristine De Welde
Keyword(s):  
Gender Equity ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Representation Of Women ◽  
Gendered Organizations ◽  
Theories Of Change ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
Over Time

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the evolving theories of change of the US National Science Foundation’s (NSF) ADVANCE program to increase the representation of women on academic faculties in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). ADVANCE supports efforts to transform the cultures and structures of US institutions of higher education by removing gendered barriers to STEM faculty women’s employment, advancement and success, and by developing change strategies that others may adopt.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical study is based on qualitative, longitudinal analysis of nine requests for proposals (RfPs) for the ADVANCE program (2001–2016), complemented by historical analysis of funded ADVANCE projects using public records.FindingsThe analysis identifies changes over time that suggest shifts in NSF’s rationale and theory of change for ADVANCE. Increased guidance directs how institutions should best undertake change, document outcomes and share best practices. The RfPs reveal growing attention to equity, rather than simply to representation, and to intersectionality – how gender, race, social class and other identities intersect to produce disparate experiences and outcomes for individuals differently positioned in social systems. Gendered organizations theory helps to place these experiences and outcomes in a structural context. Iterative processes of organizational learning are postulated to account for these changes over time.Originality/valueWhile many studies have examined ADVANCE projects’ activities and outcomes, none have examined the premises and design of the ADVANCE program itself. This analysis offers insight into how the ADVANCE RfP has driven innovation and learning about transformative institutional change to advance gender equity in STEM.

Hearts and Minds First: Institutional Logics in Pursuit of Educational Equity

2020 ◽  
pp. 0013161X2094745
Author(s):  
Ann M. Ishimaru ◽  
Mollie K. Galloway
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Participatory Design ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Institutional Logics ◽  
Theory Of Change ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Organizational Policies ◽  
Theories Of Change ◽  
Hearts And Minds

Purpose:Despite an explosion of professional development to help educators discuss issues of race and equity, expectations for addressing racial disparities outstrip current leadership practices, and scant empirical research exists on the organizational changes that emerge from the work of equity teams. This study examined equity teams’ theories of organizational change for equity and how those theories related to their efforts to change school policies and practices. Research Methods/Approach: Drawing on institutional logics from organizational theory, this comparative case study examined transcripts and fieldnotes from 22 meetings and 27 interviews with two school equity teams in diverse contexts in the Pacific Northwest. Findings: Despite differences in the principals, team conversations, and organizational contexts, we found that both teams’ discussions asserted a primary theory of change for shifting schools toward greater equity. According to this “commonsense” notion, efforts to become more equitable as a school first require shifts in individuals’ understandings, beliefs, and attitudes—changes to “hearts and minds”— prior to engaging in other actions to address organizational change. Ultimately, our findings suggest that the dominance of a hearts-and-minds-first theory of change constrained changes to organizational policies, structures and practices. Conclusions: Alternative theories of change to catalyze equity-focused organizational shifts hold promise for fostering educational justice. Future participatory design research with schools may yield knowledge of multiyear organizational change.

Discontinuous Change in Organizations and Fields

2021 ◽  
pp. 363-396
Author(s):  
Vibha Gaba ◽  
Alan D. Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Future Research ◽  
Social Mechanisms ◽  
Discontinuous Change ◽  
Organization Studies ◽  
Subsequent Work ◽  
Organizational Fields ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Organization Level ◽  
Theories Of Change

In 1990 Alan Meyer, Geoffrey Brooks, and James Goes published a 2x2 framework for categorizing theories of change used by scholars in management and organization studies. This framework distinguished modes of change (continuous vs. discontinuous change), and levels of analysis (organization-level vs. field-level change). This chapter (1) summarizes, evaluates, and extends the framework in light of subsequent work, (2) identifies new social mechanisms that have been posited as causal mechanisms driving discontinuous change within organizations and organizational fields, and (3) proposes fruitful constructs, methodologies, and directions for future research on change in and around organizations.

User experience and design thinking as a global trend in healthcare

2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Stola
Keyword(s):  
Design Thinking ◽  
Human Centered Design ◽  
Healthcare Design ◽  
Creation Process ◽  
Organization Level ◽  
Real People ◽  
Global Trend ◽  
Innovative Solutions ◽  
Design Systems ◽  
Or Organization

Human-centered design describes a process and methodology that begins and ends with accommodating the needs and desires of our end users – the patients, families, providers, and other stakeholders, who each play a crucial role in the innovative healthcare creation process. Based on the desktop research it was found that human-centered design methodologies and tools are trending in the different fields and areas of healthcare design systems. It was found that customer-centric approach is the key fact of innovation creation process whether it is product or service, technology or organization level. The conclusion is that it is time for healthcare to start solving real people problems by implementing the human-centered approach in order to achieve high results and create innovative solutions that will match their customers and stakeholders needs and desires.

Modeling the cultural dynamics of resistance and facilitation

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 1013-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gail F. Latta
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Strategic Change ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Interaction Effects ◽  
Sources Of Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theories Of Change ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to clarify the role of organizational culture in governing the dynamics of resistance and facilitation of change by explicating the operational mechanisms underlying the Model of Organizational Change in Cultural Context (OC3 Model). Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual definition of facilitation is introduced that parallels the psychosocial construction of resistance, while departing from traditional views that cast these constructs as polar opposites. Within the context of the OC3 Model, a multifaceted perspective on organizational change is advanced in which facilitation takes place alongside of, rather than in the absence of, resistance. Findings – Two sources of resistance and facilitation are delineated, both stemming from the degree of cultural alignment of the content (strategic initiatives) and process (implementation strategies) elements of strategic change. The dynamic interplay of these independent sources of resistance and facilitation is explored within the context of the OC3 Model where the consequences of cultural alignment or misalignment are considered with respect to change implementation and linked to established theory and empirical evidence. Four interaction effects emerge from this analysis: augmentation, undermining, prevailing and immunity. A visual model illuminating the countervailing effects of facilitation on resistance is provided, along with illustrative examples derived from multiple ethnographic field studies. Practical implications – Theoretical and practical implications of these interaction effects for advancing scholarship and leading organizational change are explored. Originality/value – Articulating this theoretical extension of the OC3 Model provides a valuable corrective to extant theories of change that afford equal importance to all culturally embedded sources of resistance and fail to account for the counter balancing effects of facilitation.

scholarly journals Gatekeeping

Communication ◽  
2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela Shoemaker ◽  
Jaime Riccio ◽  
Philip Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
20Th Century ◽  
News Media ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Decision Points ◽  
News Editor ◽  
Multiple Audiences ◽  
Processing Information ◽  
Or Organization ◽  
Flow Of Information

Billions of events occur in the world each day, but only a few of them become news. The process through which this occurs is referred to as gatekeeping. Gatekeeping theory is the nexus between two inarguable facts: events occur everywhere all of the time and the news media cannot cover all of them. And so, when an event occurs, someone has to decide whether and how to pass the information to another person, such as a friend, an official, or even a journalist. Many decisions are made between the occurrence of an event and its transmission as news: decision points are referred to as gates and decision makers as gatekeepers. The decision-making process is the core of gatekeeping. It is possible for anyone to be a gatekeeper—anyone who has information about the event and decides to pass it to another person or organization. In processing information and conveying it to someone else, gatekeepers consciously or unconsciously change the information. Some is withheld and the rest is not unchanged, as if it were merely squeezed from a gatekeeping sponge. Traditionally, the role of the gatekeeper was seen as that of a journalist or news editor. Today we see that interpersonal chains of social media organizations and their participants, for instance, connect with media chains in an entirely new way—moving information from one to another, overlapping the news media, and integrating into a new journalism in which reporters and officials have less control over the flow of information than they did in the 20th century. Individuals in the former mass audience have substantial influence as gatekeepers. Everyone constantly evaluates the importance of events. We are participant observers in our own lives, continually making decisions about bits of information. Whereas once we were able to tell only our social circles about news that was relevant to us, those who have the technology and skills to use social media are gatekeepers for people in larger and larger circles. This can result in sharing more information than was consciously or unconsciously intended. Multiple audiences now exist, some more influential than others, with gatekeepers of all sorts monitoring social media content to learn which units of information may be important to large numbers of people. For the first time since the invention of the printing press, individuals in multiple audiences control the flow of information within and across social systems. No longer can a small number of officials and journalists control decisions about which information is acceptable and which is inappropriate. The 21st century marked the start of an age of new combinations between the news media and social media, journalists and individuals. The linear, top-down path of the 20th-century gatekeeping process has been changed irrevocably.

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