The Management of Politics in Technically Related Organizational Change

Abstract

This paper is an attempt to build an integrated model of the role of politics in technologically related organizational change. A large part of organizational theory presents power games as a simple factor of 'dilution', unavoidably con demning projects of change to a reinforcement of existing structures (perpetuation principle). Other authors consider that conflicts are able to con tribute to the renewal of old structural arrangements by forcing top manage ment to search for new organizational solutions (innovation principle). Our basic hypothesis is that both principles may occur, and depend on specific conditions. We thus try to investigate the organizational conditions under which politics either contribute or inversely block the change process, by means of four contrasted case studies of computer-based-information-system (CBIS) introduction in a chain-store, a bank, a teaching hospital and a news agency. A first key variable envisaged is the distribution of power. Is power concen trated at the 'centre' of the organization or dispersed at the 'periphery'? If the distribution of power undeniably influences the results of a change process, empirical evidence suggests that the change process will equally depend on a second variable — the way in which the change itself is managed. Thus, the significance conferred by managers and promoters to the change project — i.e. their style of management — appears to be crucial.

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