52 Questions
What are the three varieties of change according to Grundy?
Smooth incremental change, bumpy incremental change, and discontinuous change
What characterizes bumpy incremental change?
Periods of relative calm punctuated by acceleration in the pace of change
What triggers smooth incremental change?
Both the environment and internal initiatives, such as periodic restructuring
What is associated with bumpy incremental change?
The means by which organizations achieve their goals, rather than a change in the goals themselves
What characterizes discontinuous change?
Rapid shifts in strategy, structure, or culture, or all three
What triggers discontinuous change?
Response to sudden and unpredictable high levels of environmental turbulence
What are the characteristics of a 'hard' problem according to the text?
Known solutions, known timescales, and bounded in the organizational context
What are the characteristics of a 'mess' according to the text?
Larger-scale, interrelated complex of problems, absence of knowledge of factors, and fuzzy timescales
How are 'hard' problems and 'messes' different in terms of problem definition?
Hard problems have agreement on what constitutes the problem, while messes have little agreement on what constitutes the problem
What is the TROPICS test used for?
To locate a change situation on a continuum from hard to soft complexity
According to Paton and McCalman (2000), what does the TROPICS test help identify?
Whether a change situation is characterized by hard or soft complexity
What are the implications of messes for all concerned?
Messes have serious and worrying implications for all concerned
What is the organizational context for hard problems?
Bounded
What are the characteristics of people involved in messes?
Messes have many people of different persuasions and attitudes involved in the problem
What is the level of interaction with the environment for hard problems?
Minimal interactions with the environment
According to the text, how are messes different from hard problems in terms of timescales?
Messes have fuzzy timescales, while hard problems have known timescales
What approach to strategy in an organization involves small, incremental steps with a clear purpose?
Logical incrementalism approach
According to Greiner's organizational life cycle model, how many growth phases are identified?
Five
What theory explains organizational behavior using concepts such as chaos, dissipative structures, and complex adaptive structures?
Complexity theory
What are the implications of complexity theory for organizations?
Need for more democracy, continuous change, presence of order-generating rules
What can destabilize the legitimate system in an organization?
Shadow system
What concept emphasizes the inevitability of change in an organization?
Greiner's organizational life cycle model
What emerges from interactions between different groupings of people in an organization?
Strategy
What approach conceptualizes change in organizations as discrete steps of structural organizational elements?
Discrete steps approach
What do senior managers orchestrate to lead to a logical incrementalism approach in an organization?
Pressures
What does complexity theory explain using concepts such as chaos, dissipative structures, and complex adaptive structures?
Organizational behavior
What is the presence of old networks and established working ways known as in an organization?
Shadow system
What is the main purpose of the shadow system in understanding organizational change processes?
Destabilization of the legitimate system
What is a 'tipping point' in the context of change?
A tipping point is where events culminate in a significant shift or transformational change.
What are some tools and techniques for diagnosing change situations?
Tools and techniques include Greiner's organizational life cycle model, stakeholder analysis, SWOT analysis, PEST analysis, and multiple-cause diagrams.
What is the concept of 'breakpoints' and how does it relate to competitive behavior?
Breakpoints help organizations understand the need to change their strategies in response to competitor behavior. The evolutional cycle of competitive behavior includes two main phases: innovation and convergence.
What characterizes the innovation phase in the evolutional cycle of competitive behavior?
The innovation phase is marked by the discovery of a new business opportunity, introducing a divergent breakpoint with increased variety and value for customers.
What characterizes the convergence phase in the evolutional cycle of competitive behavior?
The convergence phase is characterized by cost-cutting and consolidation, resulting in lower delivered cost and creating a new breakpoint with the cycle starting anew.
Why are formal and informal systems, such as environmental scanning and open communication, essential in identifying breakpoints?
Formal and informal systems are essential in identifying breakpoints because they help organizations understand the need to change their strategies in response to competitor behavior.
What does the Burke-Litwin model highlight in the context of change?
The Burke-Litwin model highlights how change in one factor or variable can have a ripple effect throughout the organization.
What are the indicators of convergence breakpoints?
Indicators of convergence breakpoints include competitors offering increasingly similar products and declining market segmentation.
What are the indicators of divergence breakpoints?
Indicators of divergence breakpoints include a saturated market, declining growth rates, and restless customers.
What characterizes 'hard' or 'messy' problems in the context of change?
'Hard' problems are more technical in nature, while 'messy' problems are more complicated and dynamic, with fewer clear objectives and more ambiguous solutions.
What are 'hard' problems in the context of change?
'Hard' problems are more technical in nature, requiring specific technical expertise and solutions.
What are 'messy' problems in the context of change?
'Messy' problems are more complicated and dynamic, with fewer clear objectives and more ambiguous solutions.
What are the three stages in Lewin's linear approach to change?
Unfreezing, moving, and refreezing
What are the two categories of change based on scope and scale?
Incremental or big-bang, and realignment or transformation
What are the three types of change paths discussed in the text?
Build-up, breakthrough, continuous and radical, episodic and radical
How does negative feedback influence the organization's behavior?
Discourages deviations from current organization
What does loose and tight connections in the system refer to?
Connections between different elements in the system
What are the four scale types of change mentioned in the text?
Fine-tuning, incremental adjustments, modular transformation, corporate transformation
What is the essence of planned change?
Deliberate actions designed to move the organization from one state to another
According to Wilson, what is the criticism of planned change?
Relies on a single view of change and assumes a known environment
What is the criticism of planned change according to Quinn?
Most strategic decisions are made despite formal planning systems
How does Stacey summarize effective managers' approach to change?
Clear view of desired goal with sustained flexibility
What is the difference between revolutionary and evolutionary change?
Revolutionary change is fast and extensive, affecting the whole organization, while evolutionary change is slow adaptation of existing systems or structures
What is the systems approach to change in the workplace focused on optimizing?
Social and technical sub-systems
Study Notes
- Linear approach to change based on Lewin's three-stage model: unfreezing, moving, and refreezing.
- Systems approach to optimize social and technical sub-systems in workplaces.
- Change can be categorized based on scope and scale: incremental or big-bang, and realignment or transformation.
- Change paths: build-up, breakthrough, and four types of change: continuous and convergent, episodic and convergent, episodic and radical, and continuous and radical.
- Negative feedback discourages deviations from current organization, positive feedback encourages deviations.
- Loose and tight connections in the system.
- Four types of change: continuous and convergent, episodic and convergent, episodic and radical, and continuous and radical.
- Scale types: 1. fine-tuning, 2. incremental adjustments, 3. modular transformation, 4. corporate transformation.
- Convergent change: no change to the organizational configuration.
- Planned change: deliberate actions designed to move the organization from one state to another.
- Evolutionary change: slow adaptation of existing systems or structures.
- Revolutionary change: fast and extensive change affecting the whole organization.
- Emergent change: change arises out of experimentation and adaptation.
- Wilson criticizes the concept of planned change, arguing it relies on a single view of change and assumes a known environment.
- Quinn criticizes the concept of planned change as well, arguing that most strategic decisions are made despite formal planning systems.
- Stacey summarizes Quinn's key points, arguing that effective managers have a clear view of their desired goal but sustain flexibility by keeping the method of reaching it open in the uncertain and ambiguous environment.
Test your knowledge on the emergence and evolution of organizational strategy through interactions between different groups, power dynamics, information access, time spans, and interests orchestrated by senior managers.
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