A Qualitative Case Study on Organizational Change Management and Systems Thinking in For-Profit Organizations
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Authors
Evans, Kevin
Issue Date
2025-10
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
Systems Thinking , Change Management , Systems Theory of Management , Business, Engineering, Science, & Technological Innovation
Alternative Title
Abstract
Organizational change initiatives often fail because leaders do not apply systemic approaches that align people, processes, and outcomes. This problem impacts for-profit organizations where failed change efforts reduce competitiveness, morale, and resource effectiveness. The problem addressed in this study was that change management efforts fail due to a lack of systems thinking by leaders when implementing change management in for-profit organizations (Banerjee & Lowalekar, 2021). The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore how leaders in for-profit organizations applied the systems theory of management to guide change. The systems theory of management provided the framework by emphasizing the interdependence of inputs, processes, outputs, feedback, and environment. Eighteen leaders from diverse U.S. industries participated in semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom and completed demographic surveys. Eligible participants had at least three years of leadership experience, one year at their organization, and involvement in change initiatives. Data were thematically coded to answer two research questions: how leaders understood and applied systems thinking, and how they used systems theory components to improve change practices. The data resulted in six themes, which were leaders emphasized feedback, outputs, and inputs in systems thinking, recognizing that change is hard, managing and sustaining practices, and providing vision. Feedback was most frequently referenced, underscoring its role in alignment and adjustment. Leaders also highlighted the importance of balancing structure with flexibility, embedding vision into culture, and cultivating resilience to manage barriers. The findings demonstrated that while systems theory provides a useful framework, its application requires careful consideration of the specific context. The implications included adopting balanced measures of success, strengthening resilience, and embedding vision into culture. Recommendations for practice involved feedback loops, training, role clarity, vision, and adaptability. Future research should test these findings through quantitative or mixed-method designs.