Premium
Who says change can be managed? Positions, perspectives and problematics
Author(s) -
Palmer Ian,
Dunford Richard
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
strategic change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 16
eISSN - 1099-1697
pISSN - 1086-1718
DOI - 10.1002/jsc.600
Subject(s) - coaching , unintended consequences , change management (itsm) , sociology , public relations , business , epistemology , political science , management , marketing , economics , philosophy , lean manufacturing
We pick up a current challenge in the change management literature — whether change can be managed. The answer to this question depends upon the underlying image one has of both managing and change. We develop a model based upon two images of managing (management as controlling; management as shaping) and three images of change outcomes (intended, partially intended and unintended). From this we identify six views on managing change: directing, navigating, caretaking, coaching, interpreting and nurturing. We outline different theories associated with each of these views. Theorists and practitioners hold differing images of what ‘managing change’ actually means — which leads them to talk past each other when attempting to engage in dialogue around how change can be managed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.