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Organizational Change Theories
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Organizational Change Theories
A Synthesis



July 2007 | 296 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

"As Demers notes, organizational change is becoming a major field of research inquiry, encompassing an increasing diversity of theories. The three parts of the book place this topic in historical context, and reflect three key debates within the field: adaptation versus selection; transformation versus evolution; and natural evolution versus social dynamics."

CHOICE

While there are thousands of books on change management that adopt a normative perspective and numerous conceptual works that present one author's perspective, this unique book offers a synthesis of major organizational change theories. Author Christiane Demers gives a unique guided tour of the field of organizational change providing readers with a historically framed, comprehensive synthesis of organizational change theories. Organizational Change Theories: A Synthesis exposes readers to the variety and richness of North American and European scholarly literature.

Key Features:

  • Presents a historical framework: This historical perspective provides a comprehensive synthesis that situates different theoretical approaches and highlights their links over time.
  • Covers literature from World War II to present day: A comparative summary of each period's important theories identifies the major dimensions, key concepts, and questions that characterize the different perspectives.
  • Offers a balanced evaluation of each theoretical approach: By comparing each perspective in terms of major contributions and limits, students can develop their critical thinking skills.
  •  Provides a wide-range review of current literature: While the focus is historical, the book includes recent theoretical perspectives to offer an up-to-date review of emerging research and trends shaping the evolution of the field.
  • Includes extensive references: A fantastic bibliographic resource for scholars and students to further investigate issues of change in organizations.

Intended Audience

This text is designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses such as Organizational Development, Organizational Theory, and Organizational Change in the departments of business & management, political science, and public administration. It is also an ideal resource for academics, researchers, and scholars interested in organizational change.


 
Introduction
The Field of organizational Change: An Historical Account

 
Focus of the book

 
Organization of the book

 
 
Part I Adaptation or Selection?
Do Organizations Really Change?

 
 
Chapter 1 - Adaptation and Growth Perspective
Rational Adaptation Approaches

 
Organic Adaptation Approach

 
Life Cycle Approach

 
 
Chapter 2 - Selection and Imitation Perspective
Population Ecology

 
The "New" Institutionalism

 
A Look for the Outside

 
 
Part II - Transformation or Evolution?
Is Transformation Always Revolutionary?

 
 
Chapter 3 - the Configuration Approach
Momentum and Revolution: The Punctuated Equilibrium Model

 
Design Archetypes: From Punctuated Equilibrium to Theories of Stability and Change

 
 
Chapter 4 - The Cognitive Approach
Organizational Change as Reframing

 
Reframing as a Change of Knowledge Stucture

 
Reframing as a Social Interaction Process

 
 
Chapter 5 - The Cultural Approach
Culture and Change: Functionalist and Interpretive Perspectives

 
Cultural Change Processes

 
Differentiation Studies

 
Fragmentation Studies

 
 
Chapter 6 - The Political Approach
Power and Change: From Resistance to Renewal

 
A Look From Above

 
 
Part III - Natural Evolution or Social Dynamics?
How do Organizations Renew Themselves?

 
 
Chapter 7 - The Natural Evolution Perspective
The Behavioural Learning Approach

 
The Evolutionary Approach

 
The Complexity Approach

 
 
Chapter 8 - The Social Dynamics Perspective
The Radical and Postmodern Approaches

 
Discourse About Change

 
Discourse Changing Over Time

 
Change as Practical and Social Performance

 
Looking to Change From the Inside

 
 
Conclusion
Looking for an Elusive Object

 
Culmination or Dissolution?

 

"Demers gives a unique guided tour of the field of organisational change providing readers with a historically framed, comprehensive synthesis of organisational change thoeries."

Times of India
Times of India
Times of India

"Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through faculty collections."

M.L. Nathan
Lynchburg College
Choice

"An outstanding review and synthesis of The Theoretical and empirical literature."

Thomas M. Young, Ph.D.
Widener University

Too advanced for our students in present HRM-programme. We are renewing our programme and this text is still under consideration, but for 2017

Mr Roger Holmberg
Psykologi och Organisationsstudier, Institutionen för Individ och Samhälle
December 10, 2014

As the course was rather practice-oriented, this book was ideal for students who wanted to learn more about theory.

Ms Agnieszka Paruzel
Faculty of Psychology & Sport Science, University of Bielefeld
September 8, 2015

This is a great little book that provides good coverage of diverse organisational change theories under one cover. The chronological order is a good idea for providing the overeaching narrative to the development of organisational change theories and the book itself. Very useful for giving chapters to students on particular aspects of change.

Dr Alexandra Bristow
School of Management, Surrey University
February 1, 2011

Succinctly addresses change theory in an approachable way.

Dr Ane Johnson
Educational Leadership Dept, Rowan University - Glassboro
January 6, 2011

Focused on theoretical works and empirical studies of many authors, the book offers a historical frame in understanding organizational change (not development). It comes mostly as a review/synthesis and is a very rich source of authors and literature in organizational change.

Professor MIMOZA KASIMATI
Department of Management, Tirana University
December 23, 2010

This is the best book we could find which summarises the different theories of change. It is really well written and should be very accessible for postgraduate students.

Mr Armin Beverungen
Bristol Business School, University of the West of England, Bristol
September 19, 2010

The book did not fit the course I was teaching, however, I promoted it at a conference where I conducted a workshop. The workshop content included how attendees could lead their organization to change so that it was more equitable.

Katherine Weber
Technical/Trade Education Dept, California University of Pennsylvania
December 30, 2009
Key features
  • Reflects the field of OC's rapid growth and success into a far more diffuse and complex study than it was just a few decades ago.
  • Provides a good synthesis, which discusses different theoretical perspectives and resulting implications.
  • Puts theories into a historical and contextual perspective.