Product Description

This successful text provides a discussion of change in relation to the complexities of organizational life with an emphasis on applying the theory into practice.

The book is structured in three parts. The first part considers the causes and nature of change. Part two `opens up' the organization to expand on issues of structuring for change, the cultural and political contexts for change and how to lead change. Part three moves firmly into addressing the more practical considerations of designing, planning and implementing change.

The book is ideal for both MBA students and those studying for the more specialist degrees in Organizational Development and Change. Its structure and content also make it accessible to final level Business Studies undergraduate students

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #128096 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-23
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Synopsis
This successful text provides a discussion of change in relation to the complexities of organizational life with an emphasis on applying the theory into practice. The book is structured in three parts. The first part considers the causes and nature of change. Part two opens up' the organization to expand on issues of structuring for change, the cultural and political contexts for change and how to lead change. Part three moves firmly into addressing the more practical considerations of designing, planning and implementing change. The book is ideal for both MBA students and those studying for the more specialist degrees in Organizational Development and Change. Its structure and content also make it accessible to final level Business Studies undergraduate students

From the Back Cover

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

Barbara Senior an d Jocelyne Fleming

This extremely successful textbook on Organizational Change provides a discussion of change in relation to the complexities of organizational life. Taking both a theoretical and practical approach to the issues of organizational change, the text seeks to meet both the academic and applied aims of most business and management courses. The book is ideal for both MBA students and those studying for the more specialist degrees in Organizational Development and Change. Its structure and content also make it accessible to final level Business Studies undergraduate students.

The book is structured in three parts. The first part considers the causes and nature of change. Part two `opens up' the organization to expand on issues of structuring for change, the cultural and political contexts for change and how to lead change. Part three moves firmly into addressing the more practical considerations of designing, planning and implementing change.

This third edition of Organizational Change:

· Presents a comprehensive coverage of the significant ideas and issues associated with change at all levels of organizational activity from the strategic to the operational and at the individual, group, organizational and societal levels.

· Takes a conceptual and analytical approach to the way that theory and research in relation to organizations and change is explored and critiqued.

· Includes practical elements in its provision of descriptions and worked examples of different approaches to `doing' change.

· Provides a running case study, with discussion questions, of a major telecommunication organization.

· Features a balanced mixture of shorter illustrative case studies drawn from the pubic, private and voluntary sectors, small and large.

· Asks readers to undertake challenging activities to encourage the application of ideas and learning from the text to personal experience.

· Includes end of chapter discussion questions and assignments, some of which are set in `examination-type' terms that can be used as preparation for tests that might be associated with a particular course.

· Provides end of chapter additional reading and suggested Websites for readers wishing to pursue ideas and issues further.

A well-developed supplements package includes a lecturer's guide and power-point slides to complement the text.

Barbara Senior is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist who has published a number of books, articles and conference papers based on her research and activities. She is Principal of the Highfield Consultancy, which researches and offers consultancy services in the areas of organizational psychology and change. She is also an Associate Lecturer with the Open University where she lectures on the MA in Education programme and supervises doctoral students.

Jocelyne Fleming is Senior Lecturer in the Human Resources Management Department at the University of Gloucestershire. She also provides external consultancy on behalf of the university to private and public sector organisations throughout the UK in relation to the management of change, action learning, organizational development and managing change through action research.

Customer Reviews

the best of standard texts.
Along with Bernard Burnes from the same publisher, this is the best of the recent texts you will find on change management, for the sophisticated reader who needs to start somewhere. Its popularity is evidenced by its reaching a 3rd edition in a crowded market for change management books. And, as is appropriate, it covers much of what other people have said about change management. Intervening to change organizations affects people's lives in a very significant way. Don't consider it unless you are prepared to do some serious groundwork first. This book follows appropriate conventions for referencing and citations, which are in turn there for a reason. What it lacks, imho, is any consideration of critical approaches to change - eg Chris Grey's great piece on the fetish of change.

Finally a cure for insomnia!!!!
This book is such a difficult book to read, that it is a wonder that the author would have even bothered writing this book, except as a cruel jest. I like to call this literary terrorism. Normally, when an author writes a book, they make a point and include references to support their statement, not so with this author. This author has simply put together a summary of what other authors have written without making any conclusions whatsoever. Half of the book is just quotes from other books. For example, in chapter 3, the author wants to describe the meaning of culture in an organization. She writes 7, yes 7 different definitions!!! What is anyone supposed to conclude from that??
On the plus side (hense the one star), the activities, and the illustrations are worth going through. You will not learn anything from what the author has to say, but you may begin an analysis of your own organization from the activities and illustrations. Your best bet is since this book is just a collection of quotations from other works, I believe it will be more beneficial to just pick up the books and articles that she is quoting to learn more about organizational change. Leave this book for those endless nights when you cannot sleep.