Summary Chapter 1 Cawsey et al.
Defining Organizational Change: Organizational change refers to planned alterations of
organizational components to improve the effectiveness of the organization.
Organizational components are the organizational mission and vision, strategy, goals,
structure, processes or systems, technology, and people in an organization.
Organizational change is intentional and planned. Changes that are random (occur
simply due to chance) or unplanned are not the types of organizational change that
Cawsey explores. Cawsey takes a perspective that encourages change leaders to take a
holistic perspective on the change and to be widely inclusive in letting employees know
what changes are needed and are happening. This book has an action, ‘how to do’
emphasis.
Today, organizations find themselves influenced by fundamental forces:
- The changing social, cultural, and economic environment will be dramatically
altered by demography:
o Aging population
o Falling fertility rates
o Pension costs
o Diversity in gender and ethnical background
o Global warning
- New technologies: Organizations and their leaders must embrace the trite but true
statement about the impact of technological change.
- Political changes: The external political landscape of an organization is a reality
that change leaders need pay attention to and figure out how to engage.
- The economy: Cleary, there has been a shift in the economic order of the world.
Change leaders need to have a keen sense of just how these seemingly external events
impact internal organizational dynamics.
Four types of organizational change:
1. Episodic / discontinuous change: dramatic and sudden change – the introduction
of a new technology that makes a business obsolete or new government
regulations that immediately shift the competitive landscape.
2. Continuous change: much more gradual change, such as the alteration of core
competencies of an organization through training.
3. Change in a planned, programmatic, and proactive fashion.
4. Reactive change in response to external events
Nadler and Tushman four types of change:
1. Tuning (incremental/continuous): small, relatively minor changes made on an
ongoing basis in a deliberate attempt to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of
the organization.
Defining Organizational Change: Organizational change refers to planned alterations of
organizational components to improve the effectiveness of the organization.
Organizational components are the organizational mission and vision, strategy, goals,
structure, processes or systems, technology, and people in an organization.
Organizational change is intentional and planned. Changes that are random (occur
simply due to chance) or unplanned are not the types of organizational change that
Cawsey explores. Cawsey takes a perspective that encourages change leaders to take a
holistic perspective on the change and to be widely inclusive in letting employees know
what changes are needed and are happening. This book has an action, ‘how to do’
emphasis.
Today, organizations find themselves influenced by fundamental forces:
- The changing social, cultural, and economic environment will be dramatically
altered by demography:
o Aging population
o Falling fertility rates
o Pension costs
o Diversity in gender and ethnical background
o Global warning
- New technologies: Organizations and their leaders must embrace the trite but true
statement about the impact of technological change.
- Political changes: The external political landscape of an organization is a reality
that change leaders need pay attention to and figure out how to engage.
- The economy: Cleary, there has been a shift in the economic order of the world.
Change leaders need to have a keen sense of just how these seemingly external events
impact internal organizational dynamics.
Four types of organizational change:
1. Episodic / discontinuous change: dramatic and sudden change – the introduction
of a new technology that makes a business obsolete or new government
regulations that immediately shift the competitive landscape.
2. Continuous change: much more gradual change, such as the alteration of core
competencies of an organization through training.
3. Change in a planned, programmatic, and proactive fashion.
4. Reactive change in response to external events
Nadler and Tushman four types of change:
1. Tuning (incremental/continuous): small, relatively minor changes made on an
ongoing basis in a deliberate attempt to improve the efficiency or effectiveness of
the organization.
