J.J. Boonstra

Power Dynamics and Organizational Change: A Comparison of Perspectives

This article offers a framework for understanding power dynamics and organizational change. We use five perspectives to explore the relationships between change approaches, the power used to effect changes, the agents involved in the change process, the most prominent change strategies and influence tactics, and the behavioural outcomes. The perspectives are related to different levels of analysis and contingency factors. New research questions are being raised about the scope and connection of the five perspectives, the institutionalization of power, the way power dynamics hinder organizational change, the will and skill to use power in change processes, and the power of communication and democratic dialogue in organizational learning.

The Change Capacity of Organisations: General Assessment and Five Configurations

Innover et initier des changements majeurs constituent un processus complexe et beaucoup d’organisations n’atteignent pas les resultat desires. Cette etude s’est donne pour objectif de recenser les facteurs qui favorisent ou contrecarrent les changements d’une grande portee. Ces facteurs sont recherches dans les caracteristiques des organisations, ainsi que dans la conception et al gestion des processus de changement. Au total, nous evaluons soixante facettes dans l’appreciation des capacites de changement des organisations et nous en etudions les modeles sous-jacents. Les resultats globaux semblent indiquer que les capacites de changement des organisations ne sont ni fortes, ni faibles. Cela va a l’encontre du sens commun, c’est l’inverse de ce que nous savons des differences entre les organisations que changent. Une analyse complementaire des clusters a mis en evidence un nombre limite de configurations dans les capacites de changement des organisations. Cinq configurations ont devoile des modeles precis parmi les facteurs qui handicapent le changement ou y contribuent. Ces configurations ont ete nommees “l’organisation innovante”, “l’organisation desirante”, “l’organisation pourvue d’une technologie ancienne”, “l’organisation dont l’approche du changement est maladriote” et “l’organisation cynique”. Ces configurations montrent qu’il est indispensable de prendre en compte de nombreuses dimensions des organisations et des processus de changement pour comprendre pleinement ce qui gene ou stimule le changement organisationnel. De plus, les resultats de cette etude indiquent qu’un sentiment d’urgence n’est pas necessaire pour que le changement air lieu, que la resistance au changement est due a la gestion du processus de changement, que chaque configuration requiert des interventions specifiques et que les configurations peuvent etre rapportees a des variables organisationnelles comme le secteur ou la taille.

Technological and organizational innovation: A dilemma of fundamental change and participation

Abstract This article proposes sociotechnical system theory as a framework for analysing the relationship between technological and organizational innovation and as a tool for managing change as a process of organizational learning. The article focuses on the barriers to change and the way in which the dilemma between expert design and participatory development is approached. The technological and organizational innovation in an automated clearing house for payment transactions has been used as an example. The longitudinal case research focuses on the dynamics of change and illustrates the importance of learning processes during the innovation to realize flexibility and innovative capacity within the organization. The article concludes that sociotechnical system theory provides a basis of knowledge for redesigning organizations as well as developing organizations by learning processes. It indicates six barriers to technological and organizational innovation and offers a perspective on how to integrate des...

The Use of Influence Tactics in Constructive Change Processes

The use of nine influence tactics by four groups in organizations in constructive change processes was investigated in a field study with 479 participants. Data were collected with a Dutch version of Yukl’s Influence Behaviour Questionnaire. The frequency with which line managers, staff specialists, consultants, and works council, delegates used the various influence tactics was examined. Furthermore, differences in direction of influence (upward, downward, or lateral) were assessed and compared to results of previous research in different settings. It was found that rational persuasion, inspirational appeals, and consultation were the most frequently used influence tactics. This is an encouraging finding because these three tactics are most effective for gaining target commitment to a proposal or request. In addition, it was found that the four groups used several influence tactics differently. Finally, only three directional differences in tactic use matched prior findings. This result suggests that constructive change processes lead employees to display different influence behaviour than they would in less uncertain and ambiguous circumstances.