COMM 3170:COMM 3170:Introduction toIntroduction toOrganizational Organizational CommunicationCommunication

Summer 2005Summer 2005

Dan LairDan Lair

d.lair@utah.edud.lair@utah.edu

The Changing Context of The Changing Context of Organizational ChangeOrganizational Change

Global competitionGlobal competition New technologies (eg, “e-organizing”)New technologies (eg, “e-organizing”) Marketization, privatization, managerialismMarketization, privatization, managerialism

Eg, Being “customer driven”Eg, Being “customer driven” Eg, Being “lean and mean”Eg, Being “lean and mean”

Sustainable development and social Sustainable development and social responsibilityresponsibility

DiversityDiversity Change discourse/rhetoricChange discourse/rhetoric ““Fashion appeal” of change (generally) and Fashion appeal” of change (generally) and

particular change programsparticular change programs

Understanding the Understanding the Nature of ChangeNature of Change

Change v. InnovationChange v. Innovation Assumptions about ChangeAssumptions about Change Dimensions of ChangeDimensions of Change Types of ChangeTypes of Change

Visualizing Visualizing Organizational Change: Two Organizational Change: Two

ModelsModels

Lewin’s ModelLewin’s Model UnfreezingUnfreezing VisionVision MovingMoving RefreezingRefreezing

CCZ&G’s AdaptationCCZ&G’s Adaptation

(see box 11.2)(see box 11.2) Social-historical Social-historical

contextcontext ““Stages” of changeStages” of change FeedbackFeedback MetamorphosisMetamorphosis

Key Criteria for Analyzing Key Criteria for Analyzing Change:Change:

How to Evaluate SuccessHow to Evaluate Success AcceptanceAcceptance FidelityFidelity UniformityUniformity Unintended ConsequencesUnintended Consequences

The Importance of The Importance of Communication in the Process Communication in the Process

of Changeof Change Identifies possibilities, creates plans (eg, Identifies possibilities, creates plans (eg,

brainstorming, environmental scanning)brainstorming, environmental scanning) Gives direction (eg, vision)Gives direction (eg, vision) Reduces uncertaintyReduces uncertainty Facilitates commitmentFacilitates commitment Feedback enables monitoring, adaptationFeedback enables monitoring, adaptation Enables unworkable changes to be resisted, Enables unworkable changes to be resisted,

detecteddetected ““Conversational rehearsal” Conversational rehearsal”

development/modification of schemasdevelopment/modification of schemas