Organizational and individual change-"commonalities, patterns, and sustainable strategies"
Loading...
Authors
Bricker, Ryan D.
Issue Date
2007
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Psychology
Alternative Title
Abstract
One factor common between people and organizations is the consistency in which change occurs. No company or individual is exempt from one of the most reliable aspects of life, the fact that change happens. Whether we're referencing a large-scale movement within an industry, or a career transition for an executive, change is the one constant that everyone can depend on.
What is not available to us is the comparison of individual accounts of change between organizations and individuals, and what, if any patterns emerge from their experiences. We have many examples of authors that have put time and effort into clarifying the change process within organizations, what tools are needed, how to efficiently communicate the change, role clarification etc. (Kotter,Lewin) And we have many authors that talk either directly or indirectly about the change that people experience throughout the course of their lives, (Bridges, Sheehy). But very few, if any of these authors, look into the patterns and consistencies between the two-personal and organizational, when a successful change is implemented, or integrated as the new status quo.
Is there a similar pattern in both individuals and organizations that successfully manage and create sustainable change? Are there similar mindsets or strategies? More specifically, are there certain behaviors, attitudes and actions that organizations focus on during a successful change that mirror what individuals who have made successful transitions also exhibit? What strategies can we take away to help not only future companies in transition, but also to be able to parallel that knowledge to individuals going through their own change? Being able to link these commonalities could create another avenue to sustain change in organizations, and also help to manage the "human side" of change within individuals.
Based on a review of literature of organizational change models as well as theories of personal change, and based off of interviews with individuals who have been part of successful change initiatives within an organization, this project will investigate and try to identify what effectively creates successful and sustainable change. This should lead to a clearer definition of the patterns between the two types of change.