BBA 2st year organisational behaviour

Organizational Change

More and more organizations today face a dynamic and changing environment, which in turn requires organization to make changes so as to adapt itself to these changes.

It is expected from management to manage change systematically and effectively.

An organization must develop adaptability tochange, otherwise it will either be left behind or be swept away by the force of changes.

An organization is an open system which implies that there is a constant interactional and interdependence relationship with its environ-ment. Any change in its environment, such as changes in consumer's tastes and preferences, competition, economic policies of the gover-nment etc. further refers to organizational change.

It can be said that 'change is a natural state and managing change is a continual process'.

Definitions

1. "Change means making things different. Planned change involves activities that are intentional and goal oriented."

- Robbins

2. "Organizational change involves moving from the known to the unknown, from relative certainty to relative uncertainty, from the familiar to the unfamiliar."

- Cohen, Fink, Gadon and Wilits

3. "Change can involve one or several components of an organizational system, or a realignment of the entire system, affecting all key sub-systems such as strategy, work, people, formal and informal processes and structures."

- Nadler and Tushman

Characteristics of Change

It has the following characteristics:

(i) Change results from the pressure of forces which are both outside and inside the organization. It disturbs the existing equili-brium in the organization.

(ii) The whole organization tends to be affected by a change in any part of it.

(iii) Change is a process and not an event.

(iv) Change is normal and constant.

V) Change is interdependent on organizational environment or culture.

vi) Change takes place in all parts or departments of the organization, but the degree of significance and speed of rates may vary from time to time.

vii) Change may affect people, work, structure, technology, policies, environment and other elements of the organization.

viii) Change may be reactive or proactive.