Planned organizational change : a study in change dynamics

Change is not something new to human experience. The speed of and need for change in contemporary society is, how ever, a unique social phenomenon. Yet change in both its planned and natural forms is a neglected subject in the social sciences, and it is only recently that a few scholars have devoted attention to learn ing how to plan and implement changes in organizations with the minimum amount of social disorganization. The present study is in line with such work.

During the past twenty years a large number of professionals have been trained in the skill and knowledge to help in resolving problems associated with rapid change. They include psychiatrists, social workers, staff consultants, confer ence experts, productivity analysts, labour-management consultants, public relations experts and industrial develop ment planners. In spite of detailed atten tion given to change by these profes sionals, little is yet known about planned organizational change.

This study brings a practical approach to the investigation of planned organiza tional change. It is drawn largely from empirical sources, and will thus be useful to both the scholar and the practitioner.