Searching for effective change interventions for the transformation into a high performance organization

2016 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 1080-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
André de Waal ◽  
Ivo Heijtel
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Transformation Process ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Change ◽  
Country Factors ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose In recent years, the concept of the high-performance organization (HPO) has gained interest among organizations seeking to outperform their competitors and ensure business continuance. However, despite an increasing number of studies on high performance, the literature still does not present a clear organizational change approach with change interventions that effectively transform “ordinary organizations” into HPOs. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by identifying change interventions that have proven themselves in practice, i.e. they actually increase commitment of managers and employees to the HPO transformation process. Design/methodology/approach This study consists of developing a theoretical HPO change approach based on the change model of Whelan-Berry and Somerville (2010), followed by testing and applying the resulting 21 change interventions at a case company going through an HPO transformation. Findings The research results show that 75 per cent of the applied change interventions were either effective or very effective. Also, 25 per cent of the interventions were not very effective; most of these were individual-oriented. Research limitations/implications The change interventions with positive outcomes in this study can be applied by organizations during the HPO transformation. Future research should be performed in multiple industries and countries to investigate whether industry and country factors affect the effectiveness of change interventions. Originality/value Although much has been written about approaches for organizational change interventions, no change interventions specifically for creating an HPO are mentioned in the literature. Thus, the relevance of this study is that it constitutes the first step toward filling the gap in current literature on effective change interventions. This study provides a set of effective change interventions that drive successful HPO transformations.

From entity to process: toward more process-based theorizing in the field of organizational change

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Wenzel ◽  
Jochen Koch
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Step Procedure ◽  
Process Perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to make a case for more process-based theorizing in the field of organizational change. Design/methodology/approach To emphasize the importance of a process perspective on organizational change, this paper challenges the prevalent theorizing approach that treats organizational change as entity and argues that process-based theorizing can help researchers gain a better understanding of organizational change. Findings To direct future research toward more process-based theorizing, this paper proposes a systematic four-step procedure for the analysis of qualitative data that helps researchers theorize organizational change from a process perspective. Originality/value Overall, this paper contributes to theorizing efforts in the field of organizational change by offering a reflective account on the challenges that entity-based theorizing entails, strengthening the position of process-based theorizing in light of these challenges and providing an outlook on how scholars can develop theoretical insights on organizational change from a process perspective.

scholarly journals Increasing customer loyalty and customer intimacy by improving the behavior of employees

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 492-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
André de Waal ◽  
Béatrice van der Heijden
Keyword(s):  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Behavioral Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Validated Questionnaire ◽  
Excellent Service ◽  
Item List ◽  
Customer Intimacy ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose One of the most important characteristics of high-performance organizations is that these organizations always aim at servicing their customers as best as possible. In practice, this means that the employees of these organizations have to behave toward customers in such a way that these customers are not only fully satisfied but also become loyal to the organization. The purpose of this paper is to look at the concrete behaviors that are needed to create this customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach From a literature review the items that potentially are of influence on creating customer loyalty and customer intimacy were identified, based on a previous validated questionnaire while adding additional items. These items were subsequently validated in practice with a questionnaire distributed among people who are in daily life regular customers of organizations. Findings The research results show that there are eight behavioral factors of importance to create customer loyalty and customer intimacy: first, service quality delivered by employees; second, capability of employees to deliver high quality; third, empathy of employees toward customers’ wishes and needs; fourth, understanding of employees of customers’ needs; fifth, responsiveness of employees toward the needs of customers; sixth, courtesy of employees toward customers; seventh, service manner of employees; and finally, trust customers place in employees. Research limitations/implications The implication of this research is that, now that the behavioral factors are known, an organization can make sure its employees focus on displaying these behaviors toward customers consistently over time, in order to make sure customers will experience the organization as a high-performance organization and will feel loyalty toward the organization. Originality/value The research described in this paper adds to the literature in the sense that it encompasses previous research into once item list and specifically looks at behaviors that create excellent service and thereby customer loyalty and customer intimacy, both concepts that go beyond the much researched topic of customer satisfaction.

The employee survey: benefits, problems in practice, and the relation with the high performance organization

2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
André de Waal
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Employee Survey ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Non Profit ◽  
The Past ◽  
Management Techniques ◽  
Complementary Techniques ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to discuss the role of the employee in the high performance organization. One of the management techniques which has gained much popularity the past 15 years is the employee satisfaction survey. Many organizations, both profit and non-profit, use a yearly questionnaire, which measures the satisfaction of employees with all sorts of things in the organization. Yet recently, dissenting opinions can be heard that are critical of what they call “the yearly employee survey ritual”. The criticism focuses on the results of the survey which are not dealt with adequately so that the employee survey gradually has become a dissatisfier for employees. Another phenomenon is that organizations that are considering to conduct a high performance organization (HPO) diagnosis renounce this using the justification that “we are already doing an employee survey.” Design/methodology/approach – In this article the purpose of the employee survey, its advantages, its problems in practice and its relation with the HPO Framework are discussed. Findings – It is shown how the employee survey can be improved. In addition, its is shown that the employee survey and the HPO Framework are two different but complementary techniques that can and should be used in conjunction with each other. Originality/value – This article is one of the first to discuss the relation between two important management improvement techniques: the employee survey and the HPO framework.

Organizational improvisation: change or stability?

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-100
Author(s):  
João Vieira da Cunha ◽  
Miguel Pina e Cunha
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Everyday Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Improvisation ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
Organizational Stability

PurposeSome studies show that improvisation is a source of change, whereas others show that it is a source of stability. The purpose of this paper is to specify the factors which set the boundary between improvised change and improvised stability.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on two published studies and contrasts their findings to analyze the extent to which improvisation leads to organizational change or organizational stability.FindingsThe paper suggests that the most innovative instances of improvisation reproduce some features of everyday experience. The extent to which an improvisation is a source of stability or a source of change depends on the dynamics of variation, selection and retention therein.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research needs to add empirical flesh to this theoretical skeleton to push research on organizational improvisation beyond the study of its causes and into further research on its consequences.Originality/valueThe paper deals with the paradox of making sense about two apparently opposing streams of research on improvisation.

scholarly journals Extending the research agenda on (ethical) coaching and mentoring in education: embracing mutuality and prioritising well-being

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Hobson ◽  
Christian J. van Nieuwerburgh
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Position Paper ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Positive Outcomes ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Mentoring In Education

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a review of the evidence base on coaching and mentoring in education, to provide a commentary on literature published in the first 10 volumes of the International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education (IJMCE) in particular and to offer some directions for future research in the field.Design/methodology/approachThis review and position paper draws on the authors’ knowledge of the extant literature on coaching and mentoring in education, their own research in the field and their perspectives as editors of coaching and mentoring journals.FindingsAmong the outcomes of their review and commentary, the authors observe that coaching and mentoring research conducted to date largely occupies two separate fields, and studies published in one field frequently fail to draw on relevant literature from the other or recognise the overlap between them. The authors highlight a number of additional limitations of the evidence base on coaching and mentoring in education and offer some potential means of addressing these.Originality/valueThe paper offers an original reflection on current research into coaching and mentoring in education. It is intended that the paper will inform the design and publication of future studies in this area to strengthen the evidence base and, in turn, inform improvements to coaching and mentoring practice. In particular, the authors hope to encourage the ethical deployment of coaching and mentoring which enhances, rather than inhibits, the well-being of all participants, while realising other positive outcomes.

Longitudinal research into the effects of the high performance organisation framework

2018 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 985-999 ◽  
Author(s):  
André de Waal ◽  
Jeroen de Haas
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Performance Models ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Effective Performance ◽  
Organizational Results ◽  
High Performance Organization ◽  
Over Time

Purpose Many models for designing a high-performance organization (HPO) have been proposed in the past decades. However, not much information can be found in the extant literature on whether these models actually improve the results of an organization over time in a sustainable manner. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate whether de Waal’s (2012) HPO framework does help organizations increase their performance in a sustainable manner. Design/methodology/approach De Waal’s HPO framework was applied at Nader & Ebrahim S/O Hassan (NEH), a Philippine banana producer and exporter. In 2013, a first HPO diagnosis was conducted, in which the HPO status and possible improvements were identified. This application entailed conducting a questionnaire, holding interviews, and organizing a feedback workshop with management and employees. The aim was to identify possible improvements which the organization could implement in order to achieve high performance. Subsequently, NEH started to work on these improvements, and in 2015, a second diagnosis followed. Findings The second HPO diagnosis showed that both NEH’s HPO scores and organizational results had gone up considerably. The research results also showed which of the interventions, which NEH applied during working on the improvements, were most effective. Originality/value Virtually all of the HPO frameworks and models described in the literature have not been tested scientifically on their effectiveness. Thus, the research into the workings and effectiveness of de Waal’s framework belongs to an exclusive and limited set of longitudinal research studies which actually brings the study of effective performance models further.

High performance stakeholder management: what is needed?

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 367-376
Author(s):  
Joop Remme ◽  
André de Waal
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Stakeholder Management ◽  
Internal Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stakeholder Relationships ◽  
External Relations ◽  
Organizational Consequences ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose Stakeholder management is often primarily seen as maintaining external relations. However, it also has specific consequences for the internal processes of an organization and the behavior of its people. The authors argue that an organization that is meeting the standards of the high-performance organization (HPO) is able to effectively maintain valuable relationships with its stakeholders. The authors discuss in this paper how high-performance stakeholder management can be achieved and applied to stakeholder relationships. Design/methodology/approach Based on a discussion of the stakeholder management and the HPO framework concepts the authors show that good stakeholder management requires strong communication and dialogue within an organization, which in turn requires a strong internal organization, which the HPO framework can offer. This paper is written from the assumption that the two theories reinforce each other in their aims and methodologies. This argument is based on a case study. Findings The authors illustrate the argument with the application of both concepts at a case company. The case study makes clear that an organization that develops stakeholder management will be wise to examine its own internal quality and strength, using the HPO framework. If the organization views the information that comes from stakeholder management as very valuable, then internal organizational consequences must follow. Originality/value The concepts of stakeholder management and HPO Framework have not been connected before, neither in a theoretical nor a practical way. This offers the opportunity for theorists to further deepen the connection between the two, and practitioners to benefit from strengthening their stakeholder management.

High-performance organization: a literature review

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Tung Do ◽  
Ngoc Khuong Mai
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Conceptual Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Narrative Literature ◽  
Future Research Directions ◽  
Narrative Literature Review ◽  
High Performance Organization

PurposeThis paper aims to review and synthesize notable literature on high-performance organization (HPO), from which future research directions can be recommended.Design/methodology/approachThis narrative literature review analyzes major HPO literature in popular books and peer-reviewed articles published in English in the period between 1982 and 2019.FindingsThe review revealed that HPO literature has evolved multiple times, illustrating the complex and multifaceted nature of this phenomenon. In particular, literature on HPO has evolved in four phases: (1) definitions and conceptual development of HPO; (2) exploration of approaches to achieve HPO; (3) empirical validation of HPO framework; and (4) complicated research models and designs on HPO. Several research gaps were identified, which definitely hold varying research value and can be seen as potential opportunities for future research.Research limitations/implicationsThe focus of this review is on HPO literature published in English rather than cover all existing literature.Originality/valueIt is among the first studies to review the HPO literature and its evolution. This review also recommends constructive areas for future research on HPO to focus on.

A systematic review on high performance organization

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Tung Do ◽  
Ngoc Khuong Mai
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
High Performance ◽  
English Language ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Market Demand ◽  
Content Type ◽  
English Articles ◽  
High Performance Organization

Purpose This paper aims to synthesize existing knowledge on high performance organization (HPO) in terms of definitions, contemporary trends and findings from empirical studies; from which areas for future research can be proposed. Design/methodology/approach This systematic literature review applies the matrix method to analyze major HPO literature in peer-reviewed English articles. A total of 73 articles have been found in 59 journals. Findings There are three key findings that emerged from this study. First, the research on HPO has been burgeoned in the past decades, generating several compelling studies in different contexts. The trend of HPO research is now shifting from theory development to theory validation. Second, HPO has been defined in various ways in the extant literature. However, they all address the importance of aligning the firms’ resources with the market demand and integrating various types of performance to measure HPO relative to competitors for a prolonged period. Third, an assessment of empirical HPO studies revealed gaps in terms of the research context, research design and the HPO’s nomological network. Research limitations/implications The literature search in this review targeted at only articles published in the English language; therefore, publications in other languages were not included. Originality/value The strength of this study is that it provided an updated systematic review of HPO literature, is therefore, valuable in providing an overall picture of the current state of HPO research and providing potential directions for future studies.

Reframing organizational change from a processual perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Guiette ◽  
Koen Vandenbempt
Keyword(s):  
Organizational Change ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Change Agents ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Change ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Development Professionals ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This article aims at reframing organizational change from a processual perspective to transcend the polarized tensions between planned and emergent approaches to change and to better align with the lived reality of practitioners. It informs the field of learning and development with fresh insights on how to broaden sensemaking repertoires of managers and employees in realizing organizational change. Design/methodology/approach To understand how change agents conceptualize organizational change at a conceptual level, this article relies on Heidegger’s three modes of being-in-the-world to identify three dominant conceptualizations of organizational change and subsequently theorizes on corresponding phenomenological qualities of sensemaking. Findings This article develops a theoretical scaffolding that posits the emergence of organizational change as dialectic process of three different conceptualizations of change, i.e. wayfinding logic, managerialistic logic and reflexive logic, that translate into three different phenomenological qualities of sensemaking, i.e. absorbed sensemaking, detached sensemaking and mindful sensemaking, respectively. Practical implications A processual reframing of organizational change informs learning and development scholars and practitioners in at least three ways: raising awareness of and probing underlying managerial assumptions of what change is and how change should be managed, training managers and employees to deal with sensemaking processes to effectively realize organizational change, and actively assist in developing a broader sensemaking repertoire to deal with the equivocality associated organizational change. Originality/value This processual reframing contributes to the sensemaking literature on organizational change by reframing change as a dialectic process of different underlying assumptions of change agents, and different qualities of sensemaking of change. It pinpoints to concrete actions that learning and development professionals can initiate to contribute to more effective change management practices.

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