| Organizational Change - Philosophical Issues from an Autopoietic Lens |
| | Goparaju, Srikanth | Texas A&M U., College Station | gsrikanth@tamu.edu | (409)-862-2706 |
| | I submit to the idea that our collective pursuit for new ways of thinking about organizational change can be strengthened if we examine the philosophical issues concerning the nature of change. I am particularly inspired by the logic of autopoiesis (Maturana & Varela, 1980). I follow Morgan’s (1997) lead in emphasizing that this logic holds great promise for understanding change processes. At the same time, I identify certain problems and pitfalls related to the application of autopoiesis to studying organizational change. In this context, I revisit some of Smith’s (1982) ideas on the philosophical problems that underlie our thinking about change.
I develop tools in formal logic that can enhance our application of new ways of thinking to address change issues. Further, I connect logic and theory to the emerging picture of global, virtual and boundary less organizations. Also, I draw implications for the ontology, epistemology and methodology of change research. Finally, I explore how radical, transformational changes can be understood using this logic and Weick’s (1998) metaphor for understanding organizations.
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| | Keywords: Change; Autopoiesis; Philosophy |
| Transfer of Achieved Identity: Its Importance to Employee Reactions to Organizational Change |
| | Logan, Mary S. | U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville | mlogan@comp.uark.edu | (501)-575-6145 |
| | O'Leary-Kelly, Anne M. | U. of Arkansas, Fayetteville | aokelly@comp.uark.edu | (501)-575-4566 |
| | Achieved identity represents the degree of status and acceptance that an
individual feels he or she has acquired within the work environment.
Based on social identity theory, we predicted that employees' reactions
to organizational change would depend on the degree to which achieved
identity transfers to the new work situation. In a longitudinal study
of food service workers whose function was outsourced, we found that
management communication during the change affected employees' beliefs
that their identities would transfer and that the transfer of achieved
identity affected employee attitudes and beliefs after the change |
| | Keywords: change; identity; communication |
| TQM and Profit Sharing: A Test of Two Methods of Acheiving Change in Employees' Orientation to Continuous Improvement |
| | Coyle-Shapiro, Jacqueline A-M. | London School of Economics and Political Science | j.a.coyle-shapiro@lse.ac.uk | 0171-955-7035 |
| | This study sets out to examine the effects of a TQM intervention and a profit sharing program
on employees' orientation to continuous improvement in two manufacturing sites of a UK based multinational
supplier of automotive and aerospace components. The research design consisted of two measurement
points: nine months and thirty two months after the commencement of a TQM intervention; ten months prior
to and twenty months subsequent to the introduction of a profit sharing program. Continuous improvement is
defined as the degree to which an individual is willing to engage in preventing mistakes and searching for
improvements as an integral part of their job. Factor analysis of the items yielded two factors: quality
orientation and improvements as in-role. The results indicate that employee participation in TQM enhances
quality orientation. Perceived fairness of profit sharing was found to enhance the two dimensions of continuous
improvement whereas perceived ability to contribute has a significant effect on quality orientation.
The results from this study support the proposition that change in continuous improvement can be achieved using
different organizational interventions, in the time period examined here. However, whether the TQM intervention
per se is sufficient to sustain change without a realignment of organizational practices may be a crucial issue
in determining its future success. The effect of profit sharing may have been contingent upon and facilitated
by the organization's TQM process. Therefore, interlocking subsystems may not only prevent retrogression of change
but also facilitate the successful implementation of subsequent TQM oriented practices. |
| | Keywords: Continuous improvement; TQM; Profit sharing |
| One Firm Spot: Social Influences on Employees' Attitudes Toward an Organizational Change |
| | Piderit, Sandy Kristin | Case Western Reserve U. | kep2@po.cwru.edu | 216-368-4642 |
| | This paper examines the influence of employees' conversations with coworkers who support a proposed
organizational change (i.e., the proponents) on the dimensions of employees' attitudes toward that
change. The hypotheses identify the mechanisms through which informational and normative influences
might shape the dimensions of employees' attitudes toward the proposed change. The hypotheses
are tested using survey results from over 500 employees in an organization where new management
positions had been created.
The results show that informational influence is limited. When employees pay close attention to the
proponent's message, the proponent's reasoning quality has no impact on employees' global attitudes
toward the change. This finding suggests that in the context of ongoing relationships with proponents,
employees appear to focus on something other than the surface logic of the proponent's arguments.
The results show that normative influence occurs through several mechanisms. Trust in the proponent
leads to more favorable attitudes and more positive cognitive reactions to the change. Obligation to the
proponent increases employees' intentions to support the change. Value similarity with and trust in the
proponent both increase attention to the proponent's message. Respect for the proponent increases
the proponent's perceived reasoning quality. Respect, familiarity, and liking all shape trust and obligation.
These findings highlight the benefits of moving beyond a categorical view of relational ties to examine the
dimensions of relationships, because each dimension affects attitudes through a different mechanism. |
| | Keywords: resistance to change; attitudes toward change; social influence |
| Managing Organizational Conflict: A Challenge to Organization Development and Change |
| | Rahim, M. Afzalur | Western Kentucky U. | mgt2000@aol.com | (502)-782-2898 |
| | Golembiewski, Robert T. | U. of Georgia | rtgolem@arches.uga.edu | (607)-255-8361 |
| | The management of organizational conflict involves the diagonsis of and intervention in affective and substantive conflicts at the interpersonal, intragroup, and intergroup levels. A diagnosis should indicate whether there is need for an intervention and the type of intervention needed. In general, an intervention is designed (a) to attain and maintain a moderate amount of substantive conflict at various levels, (b) to reduce affective conflict at various levels, and (c) to enable the organizational members to select and use the appropriate styles of handling interpersonal conflict so that various situations can be effectively dealt with. Organizational learning and effectiveness can be enhanced through an appropriate diagnosis of and ODC intervention in conflict. |
| | Keywords: Conflict; Change; Effectiveness |
| Organizational Change, Group Learning and Communication: Learning in Building the Öresund Bridge |
| | Schenkel, Andrew J. | Stockholm School of Economics | andrew.schenkel@hhs.se | 46-8-736-9000 |
| | Rognes, Jon K. | Stockholm School of Economics | tjr@hhs.se | 46-8-736-9000 |
| | This study investigates the link between learning and different types of communication. We propose that rich communication is vital to learning. This idea is studied through an analysis of learning curves and learning in a construction project. Findings show that learning takes place in all groups studied, except one. In this group there was a planned geographical separation of a group and an unplanned change in the form of decreased available communication possibilities. These changes caused the learning to stop, which leads to the conclusion that rich communications are vital for learning. One implication of this is that communication theories about media richness and theories of learning are complementary. |
| | Keywords: learning; communication; change |