History of Organizational Change

Burke, W. (2014). Organization change: Theory and practice (4th ed.). Sage Publications, Inc. (In course pack)

Chapter 3: A Brief History of Organization Change (pp. 28–51)

• Organizational change has been present throughout history, even illustrated in biblical narratives with figures like Moses as change agents.

• Scientific management, pioneered by Taylor in the late 1800s during the industrial revolution, focused on principles like data gathering, worker selection and development, and the redivision of business work. However, its success varied depending on factors like worker cooperation and management integrity.

• The Hawthorne studies conducted by Western Electric in the 1920s and 1930s revealed the importance of psychological and sociological factors on worker productivity and morale. Factors like autonomy, feedback, and interpersonal relationships were found to be critical.

• Industrial psychology, later termed industrial and organizational psychology, focused on testing and studies of morale and efficiency after World War II, providing insights into leadership and organizational behavior.

• Survey feedback emerged as a tool for organizational improvement, emphasizing the importance of sharing survey results with employees and collaboratively developing action plans.

• Sensitivity training and T-groups became early interventions in organizational development, focusing on group dynamics and interpersonal behavior.

• Technical systems theory highlighted the interdependence of social and technical systems within organizations, emphasizing the importance of work groups and employee autonomy.

• Organizational development emerged as a systematic approach to organizational change, incorporating sensitivity training, survey feedback, and action research techniques to address issues like communication and teamwork.

• The managerial grid, developed by Blake and Mouton, categorized leadership styles based on concern for production and concern for people, providing a framework for organizational development.

• Coercive and confrontational techniques, exemplified by Alinsky's strategies, were explored as approaches to challenging authority and effecting change.

• Management consulting, rooted in scientific management principles, emphasized a systematic problem-solving approach and integration of various change methodologies.

• Overall, the evolution of organizational change theories and practices emphasized the importance of addressing human and organizational factors, utilizing systematic approaches, and integrating multiple methodologies for effective change.