Managing Change in a Contemporary Organisation

At the beginning of the 21st century the forms of change within organisations have been innovatory and a widespread conviction has arisen as to the revolutionary nature to such changes as a sign of the times, (Pettigrew & Massini, 2003). While Tushman & O’Reilly III (1996) argue that the industry level of studies has not been helpful in illustrating the path of organisation’s change, Greiner (1972) outlines a corporate growth model in order to provide a useful framework in understanding organisational change. Psychologists believe that learning as a human behaviour can be defined as the relatively permanent change in actions as a result of experience or practice, (Baars, 1986). Reflecting and highlighting this concept in relation to an organisation it is subsequently essential to look at organisational change from a historical perspective as organisations learn from their own experiences. Thus innovations in terms of evolutionary and revolutionary change occur at each organisational growth level as determined by Greiner (1972). To answer these fundamental questions about the nature of organisational change it is vital to distinguish between two levels of change. Similarly the factors that directly influence organisational behaviour and organisational features that determine these factors should be examined in turn need to be considered. In line with Greiner’s (1972) theory each of the organisational elements and processes are shaped by its choices implied in the consciousness of the history of the organisation.

Therefore the obvious features of an organisation can be defined and deduced from the aspects of organisational structure, organisational system and organisational culture of which it is composed, (Salaman & Asch, 2003). Researchers have argued that change that has limited influences on the entire organisational system and culture and which maintain unchanged structures are evolutionary thus the consequences of these changes are predictable and ultimately

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