Thale Kvernberg Andersen

Developing criteria for healthy organizational change

Abstract The objective of this study was to identify criteria for healthy change in organizations and to develop practical guidelines for intended change. We aimed to explore how change processes at the shop floor level can be better informed by consultants and labour inspectors. A total of 180 interviews were conducted with managers and employees in 90 units of public and private organizations in Norway. The interviews were analysed through four steps representing an expansion of grounded theory, and converted to qualitative analysis using QSR and N6 software. We found that organizational change processes were better managed by more attention to awareness of the local norms and diversity among employees in the perception and reactions to change efforts. An inspector or consultant should be aware of these phenomena in any change effort and tell the organization how to deal with them. The other three factors identified were early role clarification, manager availability, and using constructive conflicts to deal with change. They are all important coping mechanisms at the organizational level that will bring change processes onto a more optimal track if correctly managed. A healthy process empowers individuals instead of making them insecure and defensive in times of change. This will help them restore perceived control and promote job security, which benefits both them and the organization.

Understanding the Success or Failure of Organizational ICT Integration: The Criticality of Managerial Involvement

ABSTRACT This study explores how managerial involvement affects the success or failure of ICT-based change. Employees’ use and non-use of new ICT were indicators for change success and failure, respectively. Based on the thematic analysis, the findings accentuate the criticality of adequate managerial involvement with affected employees during ICT-based organizational change. This proved vital for the successful integration of new ICT and the development of new work processes and practices. The combination of absence of managerial involvement and expert control prevented employees who did not have previous ICT experience from developing new work practices that integrated tasks, work processes and the new technology. ICT experts were authorized to control the change process by a combination of managerial involvement and delegated managerial authority. Closeness to the technology and to managers/decision-makers combined with high levels of mutual involvement and ICT experience seem to be important factors for the success of ICT-based organizational change.