Change Management – Just Doing It!

Citation

(2001), "Change Management – Just Doing It!", Work Study, Vol. 50 No. 6. https://doi.org/10.1108/ws.2001.07950fae.006

Change Management – Just Doing It!

Change Management – Just Doing It!

Robert Sullivan and Stephen LyttonManagement Books 2000 LtdISBN 1-85252-351-4£12.99 Keywords: Management, Organizational change, Organizational development

Robert Sullivan is the leader who transformed the fortunes of Sellotape through one of the best documented and thorough change management programmes published to date. He was appointed operations director in 1993, with a brief to turn around a poorly performing business. This is what he did. He achieved a complete turn around in the company's financial and organisational health and subsequently became its chief executive.

The book builds on that practical experience. It is in two parts – "Culture change" and "Organisation development" – and covers both UK and European experiences of the change process.

Sullivan's experience shines through – he seems to be an intuitive manager, observing what does not work, formulating a vision of what is needed, and involving everyone to effect change. Of course, transformation is not straightforward; routine business and everyday problems continue and they must become integral to the change process.

In Sellotape's case, leading change from an operations, as the authors admit, resulted on process design failures – there was a failure to involve sales and marketing. It is reassuring to learn of (partial) failure – it brings the lessons into much clearer focus; in this case reminding us that change must be inclusive.

This book is clearly written and is well illustrated; indeed it can be recommended as "a good read".