Notes to lecture 1 - Weick & Quinn (1999) PDF

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Article by Weick & Quinn 1999...

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Lecture 1: Introducing change. Why is it important? What can it do for organizations? Weick and Quinn (1999) The focus when reading: In the Orlikowski and Weick & Quinn papers it is important that you study carefully the main distinctions they draw. They are not difficult to spot, and they are quite consistent with one another. Try and think of what continuous change is all about. How can we call it change for a start? And how would continuous and episodic change relate dynamically to one another? -

How does it fit together?

The article distinguishes between two types of change: 1. Episodic change 2. Continuous change Episodic change Episodic change = revolution Episodic changes can also be referred to as revolutions because the changes are drastic and comprehensive Put a specific effort to ”do” a change in a specific way. Is often planned within a time fram.e The process of episodic change: (p. 368) The process happens like a big revolution where the top management (typically) decides that a drastic change needs to occur in order to find a new equilibrium where the organization is compatible with the current situation and environment. The process of episodic change tends to be: • More disruptive for the organization, because programs are replaced rather than being slowly altered with time • Slower because episodic changes often are very big • The process is infrequent • Less complete because the change is rarely fully implemented • Initiated by the higher levels of the organization What causes episodic change? (p. 369) Episodic change is primarily caused by inertia, which is defined as an inability for organizations to change as rapidly as the environment. BUT it is also caused by at least 5 other identified sources. Inertia Inertia can raise from a lot of things such as: • The organizational culture • Top management tenure* 2

*Tenure = guaranteed permanent employment, meaning that top management cannot be replaced • Deep structure • First-order change • Routines • Complacency* (Kotter, 1996 talks about this) o = a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements • Technology Other sources of episodic change Besides inertia, episodic change is caused by at least 5 other identified sources: 1. The environment 2. Performance 3. Characteristics of top managers 4. Structure 5. Strategy Question: Is episodic change a type of change that an organization choose consciously? Or does every organization thrive to have continuous change, although this might be hard do to inertia? Answer to this is discussed at p. 370 ‘Ideal Episodic Organizations’ • “If organizational change generally occurs in the context of failures to adapt, then the ideal organization is one that continuously adapts.” (p. 371) • But continuous change is NOT ‘the best’ type – a successful firm (studied in the computer industry) must have BOTH types of changes: “Successful firms did not rely on either a purely mechanistic or purely organic process and structure. Instead, successful firms had well-defined managerial responsibilities and clear project priorities while also allowing the design processes to be highly flexible, improvisational, and continuously changing.” (p. 371) Continuous change Main characteristics of continuous change: (p. 375) Ongoing, evolving and cumulative (samlende) Presumption behind continuous change: Continuous change is built on a micro level perspective where it is assumed that everything changes all the time. How does continuous change occur? (p. 375) Changes are grounded in continuing updates of work processes and social practices. The changes come, more specifically, from the everyday contingencies, breakdowns, expectations, opportunities and unintended consequences. Because these ‘accommodations’ are repeated, 3

shared, amplified, and sustained, they can, over time, produce perceptible and striking organizational changes. The distinctive quality of continuous change is the idea that small continuous adjustments, created simultaneously across units, can cumulate and create substantial change. How does organizations become compatible with continuous change? (p. 375-376) Organizations that incorporate improvisation, translation and learning into their culture and structures. The process of continuous change: (p. 379) Does NOT happen as a big revolution. Continuous change consists of lots of small changes happening all the time ensuring that the organization is constantly adapting itself to the current situation and environment. “Change is an ongoing mixture of reactive and proactive modifications” (p. 379).

Overview of difference Characteristics of the organization Episodic change Inertial, infrequent, discontinuous and intentional Continuous change Emergent, self-organized, change is seen as constant, evolving and cumulative What drives the change? Episodic change is driven by inertia and the inability of organizations to keep up Continuous change is driven by alertness and the inability of organizations to remain stable Focus? Short-run adaption through a few major changes from time to time Long-run adaption by constantly changing

Key concepts: - Inertia (stay unchanged) - Revolution – that is how big the change can be considered to be - Recurring interactions - Constant shift in tasks, roles etc. - An organization built around improvisation, transition and learning

Ideal organization For both types of changes, it is ideal to be capable of continuous adaption How is the change made? By intention – meaning that the change is an active choice typically made by the top management (episodic change) By constant, small redirections of existing events that happens all the time (concidential)

Process of the change Focus on inertia (staying unchanged) until it becomes necessary to make a change (which has then ‘grown’ big) Recognize a small, potential change, prioritize it and reframe the current patterns

Meaning system Builds on the idea of ‘punctuated equilibrium’ where change is assumed to be (1) rapid (2) episodic and (3) radical Builds on the idea that change is (1) ongoing (2) slow (3) incremental, and (4) cumulative

Table 1

Comparison of episodic and continuous change Episodic change

Continuous change

Metaphor of Organizations are inertial and change Organizations are emergent and selforganization is infrequent, discontinuous, organizing, and change is constant, intentional. evolving, cumulative. Analytic Change is an occasional interruption Change is a pattern of endless modififramework or divergence from equilibrium. It cations in work processes and sotends to be dramatic and it is cial practice. It is driven by organdriven externally. It is seen as a izational instability and alert reacfailure of the organization to adapt tions to daily contingencies. Nuits deep structure to a changing merous small accommodations environment. cumulate and amplify. Perspective: macro, distant, global. Emphasis: short-run adaptation.

Perspective: micro, close, local. Emphasis: long-run adaptability.

Key concepts: inertia, deep structure of interrelated parts, triggering, replacement and substitution, discontinuity, revolution.

Key concepts: recurrent interactions, shifting task authority, response repertoires, emergent patterns, improvisation, translation, learning.

Ideal organization

The ideal organization is capable of continuous adaptation.

The ideal organization is capable of continuous adaptation.

Intervention theory

The necessary change is created by intention. Change is Lewinian: inertial, linear, progressive, goal seeking, motivated by disequilibrium, and requires outsider intervention.

The change is a redirection of what is already under way. Change is Confucian: cyclical, processional, without an end state, equilibrium seeking, eternal.

1. Unfreeze: disconfirmation of ex1. Freeze: make sequences visible pectations, learning anxiety, proviand show patterns through maps, sion of psychological safety. schemas, and stories. 2. Transition: cognitive restructuring, 2. Rebalance: reinterpret, relabel, semantic redefinition, conceptual resequence the patterns to reduce enlargement, new standards of blocks. Use logic of attraction. judgment. 3. Refreeze: create supportive social norms, make change congruent with personality. Role of change Role: prime mover who creates agent change. Process: focuses on inertia and seeks points of central leverage.

3. Unfreeze: resume improvisation, translation, and learning in ways that are more mindful.

Role: Sense maker who redirects change. Process: recognizes, makes salient, and reframes current patterns. Shows how intentional change can Changes meaning systems: speaks be made at the margins. Alters differently, communicates alternameaning by new language, entive schema, reinterprets revoluriched dialogue, and new identity. tionary triggers, influences puncUnblocks improvisation, translatuation, builds coordination and tion, and learning. commitment....