Organisational Behaviour For Dummies

Chapter 14

Changing Organisations

In This Chapter

Knowing how organisations change and why

Seeing how people react to change

Handling change well as a manager

People often say that organisations need to change to survive. This advice is especially true today because organisations need to adapt – for example, by downsizing or restructuring – to the ever-changing economic conditions to remain competitive and successful.

In this chapter, we discuss organisational change and consider the different types of change an organisation can face. Because we’re work psychologists, we focus on the way in which people are affected by change rather than the change itself.

Understanding How and Why Organisations Change

Organisations can change in many ways and for many reasons. Sometimes change can be a minor thing that makes little difference to the way an organisation works and has limited impact on employees. At other times though, organisational change is a major event that has a big impact on employees. The type of change and the reasons for the change influences the ways in which people react to the change, which can often be negative.

Knowing the types of organisational change

Change within ...