Lessons for managers and OD professionals when implementing large-scale change

Citation

(2008), "Lessons for managers and OD professionals when implementing large-scale change", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 22 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/dlo.2008.08122fad.005

Lessons for managers and OD professionals when implementing large-scale change

Article Type: Abstracts From: Development and Learning in Organizations, Volume 22, Issue 6

Boyd N.M.Organization Development Journal, Summer 2008, Vol. 26 No. 2, Start page: 11, No. of pages: 14

Purpose – reports on a large-scale change project initiated by the governor of Pennsylvania, USA. Design/methodology/approach – asks what process, visionary and stakeholder factors facilitate large-scale change, describes formation of a task force charged with both studying State government operations, and recommending changes aimed at reducing costs, increasing accountability and improving service, lists functions/operations subject to change, and gives examples of operational changes generating cost and manpower savings. Draws on the author’s experiences during the initiative, and participant observations and interview responses to derive nine lessons learned, recommending making the selected organizational development (OD) model the focus, speaking in the language of the stakeholder groups, placing change agents both in the target unit and at the supervisory level above the target unit, setting a specific time-line for change, focusing on stakeholder needs, identifying appropriate OD methods, understanding the social and political environment, appreciating the work of others, and ensuring both top management support and that top managers understand OD. Originality/value – depicts a model of large-scale change derived from lessons learned. ISSN: 0889-6402 Reference: 37AM262

Keywords: Change management, Organizational change, Organizational development