The leopard’s spots: changing change management

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to discuss the tension between the almost universal existence of ongoing change management initiatives, the speed of C Suite transitions and the shrinking of middle management.

Design/methodology/approach

This viewpoint looks at coverage of change management initiatives and the statistics on management transitions across different industries.

Findings

The review of the data suggests that the increase in change management initiatives set against senior management instability and the shrinkage in middle management is leading to diminishing returns. The author suggests that increasing stability and consistency in core areas is becoming more important to corporate financial success.

Originality/value

While change management has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the juxtaposition of these initiatives with senior management fluidity and shrinking middle management resources.

Citation

Hirsch, P.B. (2023), "The leopard’s spots: changing change management", Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. 44 No. 3, pp. 175-178. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBS-03-2023-0056