A "theory of action" perspective on effective organizational change

R.A. Luechtefeld
Proceedings. 2005 IEEE International Engineering Management Conference, 2005.  
Effective organizational change is crucial to the implementation of popular management approaches such as Quality Management, Six-Sigma, and Business Excellence. However, managers often find that creating change is extremely difficult and, as a result, many times organizational improvement initiatives fail to fulfill their promise. A "Theory of Action" perspective, developed by Chris Argyris and Donald Schön, assumes that managers craft their actions to achieve intended results. However, they
more » ... e often unaware of the unintended consequences of these results. This paper describes common dynamics that occur during change initiatives and how managers may reduce unintended consequences using "Model II" behavior.
doi:10.1109/iemc.2005.1559106 fatcat:i4226ygplrhxtl2xvf7fvr7fsu