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Sustainability, and the Effective Change Manager

Q: Figure 11.1 The J Curve (p. 370)

Rosabeth Moss 'Kanter's Law states Everything can look like a failure in the middle. The J- curve can be helpful in managing the expectations of others.

7 important questions on Sustainability, and the Effective Change Manager

Table 11.1 Images of Managing and Sustaining Change (p. 356)

Sustaning change depends on how managing change is understood.

Director - Change manger is to change the process and direct other to comply.

Navigator - Change manager change process to fit the context.

Caretaker - Determined primary by the contextual factors not by the management.

Coach - main role is to help others to develop the capabilities necessary to achieve the intended outcomes of the change.

Interpreter - develops understanding of the meatning and significance of the changes and what will count as successful outcomes.

Nurturer - constant flux and largely beyond management control

“Top Ten” Factors for Initiative Decay (p. 358–359)

The initiators and drivers move on- successful change leaders are ready to move on to the next challenge.
Accountability for development has become diffuse - individuals that implemented the change are not promoted
Knowledge and experience with new practice are lost through staff turnover - critical mass trained and developed staff leaves the position.
Old habits are imported with recruits from less dynamic organizations - new recruits bring prior experience no retraining just on-the-job observation.

“Top Ten” Factors for Initiative Decay (p. 358–359) Part 2

5. The issues and pressures that triggered the initiative are no longer visible- the cause of the change is addressed. Change can fade with the triggers.
6. New managers want to drive their own agendas- want to appear innovative and energetic they want to make a mark.
7. Powerful stakeholders are using counter-implementation tactics to block progress - if they do not like the change they may undermine the changes.
8. The pump-priming funding runs out - resources consumed and things come to an end decay become more likely.

“Top Ten” Factors for Initiative Decay (p. 358–359) Part 3

9. Other priorities come on stream, diverting attention and resources - past pressures addressed the move to more urgent problems it will generate a problem if the shift in problems recreates the problems in the past.

10. Staff on all levels suffer initiative fatigue, enthusiasm for change falters- too much change successful or not, can threaten sustainability by generating a desire to get back to normal.

Table 11.2 A Spectrum of Reasons for Failure (p. 359)

Created by Amy Edmondson who explains a spectrum for reasons for failure blameworthy at one extreme, to praiseworthy at the other. They are both treated in the same manner are is not reported.

Deviance - violate the process
Inattention - deviates from specifications
Lack of ability - no skills, training, to do the job
Process Inadequacy - faulty of incomplete process
Task challenge - task too difficult
Process complexity - many elements breaks down
Uncertainty - Lack of clarity
Hypothesis testing - experiment pass or fail
Exploratory testing - an experiment conducted to expand knowledge

Figure 11.1 The J Curve (p. 370)

Rosabeth Moss "Kanter's Law states Everything can look like a failure in the middle.

The J- curve can be helpful in managing the expectations of others.

Escalation of Commitment (p. 371–372)

Project determinants - commitment is likely to increase where the lack of progress is considered to be due to a temporary problem.
Psychological determinants - sunk costs are not sunk psychlogically.
Social determinants - commit more resources in an attempt to revive it and thereby save face by not being associated with the failure.
Organizational determinants - resist abandonment of a project that is seen as central to their identity.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach | 9780073404998 | Richard Dunford, et al

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Sustainability, and the Effective Change Manager

7 important questions on Sustainability, and the Effective Change Manager

Table 11.1 Images of Managing and Sustaining Change (p. 356)

“Top Ten” Factors for Initiative Decay (p. 358–359)

“Top Ten” Factors for Initiative Decay (p. 358–359) Part 2

“Top Ten” Factors for Initiative Decay (p. 358–359) Part 3

Table 11.2 A Spectrum of Reasons for Failure (p. 359)

Figure 11.1 The J Curve (p. 370)

Escalation of Commitment (p. 371–372)

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