François Pichault

A Political Model of Change in Network Organizations

Most of political analyses on organizational change have been focused, until now, on “bounded” systems, within which the different stakeholders and their strategies may be identified more or less clearly. We here envisage to what extent a political view on organizational change is still appropriate to a context characterized by the emergence of “unbounded” systems, built on the use of network technologies and combining different kind of work co-ordination/liaison mechanisms with diverse categories (hybridization process). Starting from the examination of a particular case of an “unbounded” organization (a call centre), this article tends to explore the weight of power games during a process of change. Two categories of variables seem to play a critical role: (1) the kind of liaison mechanisms established between “external partners” (clients, providers, etc.) and the local unit considered; (2) the kind of partnership negotiated between them. We thus obtain a flexible model of change, mobilizing simultaneou...

Networking: Employers' Groups

This detailed, comprehensive study on downsizing in Europe is underpinned by cross-national, interdisciplinary empirical research on restructuring management in five European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. It contains systematic national comparative overviews, and transversal analyses of more than 30 in-depth case studies, taking into account a broad range of perspectives across professional human resources managers, unions’ representatives, local and national civil servants, social workers and physicians. The authors examine strategic choices and practices in national and local contexts, showing that the practice of restructuring is not as heterogeneous as many previous studies have indicated or predicted. Systematic policy proposals for better economic and social management of restructuring are also prescribed.