What is change? On the World Wide Web at wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn, there are 20 different definitions of change (2008). Wikipedia defines it by saying that “Change denotes the transition that occurs when something goes from being the same to being different” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Change, 2008). This definition is where this paper needs to start in order to understand what provokes change, and what steps people can take to overcome pitfalls when it comes to implementing change in their organization. Characteristically, the idea of organizational change is “in regard to organization-wide change, as opposed to smaller changes… Examples… might include a change in mission, restructuring operations, new technologies, mergers, major collaborations…etc.” (McNamara, 2008).
Change is a “strategy to accomplish some overall goal” (McNamara, 2008) and should not be done just for the sake of change. Do not confuse the term strategy with the term goal, however. While these two terms may seem like the same thing, the difference is that “goals focus on what, strategies focus on how” (Chaudron, 2003). Typically, the saying “organizational change,” is “about a significant change in the organization, such as adding a major new product or service” (Managementhelp.org, 2008). Organizational change is usually brought on by a major, or several major external driving force(s), such as, substantial cuts in funding, a necessity for dramatic increases in productivity and/or services, or market/client changes (i.e. expanding globally).
Some major types of organizational change are Transformational, Incremental, Remedial, Developmental, Unplanned, and Planned. The next few pa ...