Page 347 - Managing Change in Organizations

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Chapter 18 ■ Strategic convergence: a new model for organization change
■ A process exists for integrating ‘work streams’.
■ Appropriate work streams are defined, tasked, constituted and resourced.
■ Any needed infrastructure enablers are in place.
■ A human resources transition policy and process is in place.
■ Support for implementation planning and activities are provided from within
operational and other departments.
Of course, judgements about the extent to which these components are in place
are again socially constructed but nevertheless observational methods can give
some triangulation. Initially we are concerned only to assess whether a compre-
hensive architecture has been established.

Performance characteristics of change architecture

We now turn to what I call the performance characteristics of the change archi-
tecture. We need to go beyond a ‘tick box’ approach, merely identifying whether
a particular component is in place, to looking at how effectively each operates. It
is one thing to have a system in place, quite another to operate it effectively. We
start by observing that this is the most controversial part of the change manage-
ment field because there are no final answers to the central question which con-
cerns us. How can we balance the provision of sufficient structure with the
necessary freedom to allow local level responsiveness to particular circum-
stances? Structure ensures alignment, common language and frameworks.
Freedoms allow people, operating in the often quite different circumstances as
compared to other colleagues, the ‘space’ to implement changes in ways respon-
sive to those needs.
In looking at these various characteristics in more detail we seek to establish
whether a given change programme can be delivered in an organization. In effect
we seek to make a judgement about the change capability of that organization,
looking at both its normal systems and behaviour where relevant and at the

arrangements it puts in place to handle change. It is one thing to have a change
implementation plan in place, it is quite another to operate it effectively. Our
starting point is the observation that this is probably the most problematic and
controversial part of the change management field. This is because there are no
definitive answers to the central question. How can we provide sufficient struc-
ture to give effect to changes while allowing the necessary freedoms to allow local
determination in response to particular conditions? And obviously, the more
ambitious the plan the more likely is this a difficult balance to strike in practice.
Structure to ensure alignment, common language and frameworks, and the sense
to change is directed towards a greater set of purposes than those reflected locally.
Freedoms to allow people, operating in often quite different circumstances to
others, the scope to meet local needs without compromising the integrity of the
plan overall.

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