Developmental papers
Doing Business in a Divided Society: How Business Strategically Adapts to Ethno-Political Conflict (408)
Author/s: Joanne Murphy David Denyer
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Adaptation Business Conflict Extreme Contexts
Abstract: For business leaders, the external environment is always an important consideration in commercial success, but what happens when the society in question is struggling to cope with the consequences of inter-communal conflict and a legacy of violence? How does the business community interact with this legacy and how do business leaders adapt their personal and organisational response in the face of both tragedy and hope? The paper offers a preliminary analysis of a 3-year project looking at organisational responses to conflict and transition in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, and the Basque Country. One focus of the project was to explore how organisational actors within a private sector environment, navigate, negotiate and influence the reality of conflict. This worked is framed within the emerging body of literature that looks at organisational responses within extreme environments.
Organisational Change and Middle Manager Identity Work (486)
Author/s: Lisa Day Julia Balogun
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Change, Middle Managers, Identity, Merger
Abstract: Middle managers play a significant role in organisational change processes, both constraining and enabling change and impacting intended change outcomes (Balogun and Johnson 2004; Rouleau and Balogun 2011). Individual identity issues are central to the way that middle managers respond to strategic organisational change as such change tends to lead to uncertainty and encourage self-examination (Alvesson et al. 2008; Brown 2015). In this paper we draw on a two-year, real-time observation of a merger between an Art & Design faculty and an Architecture faculty to explore how a strategic organisational change impacts and is impacted by middle manager identity work. In doing so we contribute to knowledge of the role of middle managers in organisational change, the nature of middle manager identity work, and the impact of identity work on intended organisational change outcomes.
Complexity Theory: A Pathway to Adapt to Electronic Hiring Processes. (516)
Author/s: Ronald Markowski Theresa Chika-James
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: e-recruitment, complexity theory, organizational change
Abstract: Information technology with the introduction of electronic recruitment and selection tools have significantly influenced the process of hiring employees. While company websites, job boards and other social media sites such as LinkedIn have enabled organizations easily access potential job candidates, it has also created more challenges in determining appropriate technological means to hire the most talented candidate. Issues such as passive e-recruitment, discrimination, and breech of privacy are some contemporary challenges organizations face in adopting these technological
means in the war for talent. With the evolving nature of information technology in delivery more change and complexity, it is pertinent that organizations continually adapt and best utilize electronic recruitment and selection tools to gain competitive advantage. This paper presents complexity theory as a guide to adapt to the evolving nature of electronic hiring processes. Using MacIntosh and MacLean (2001; 2006) conditioned emergence framework, the paper presents the need for organizations to create new order-generating rules, as well as feedback processes. It indicates the feedback process as a focal point in reinforcing new rules and approaches; and a means to evaluate electronic hiring process. The paper concludes with request for constructive suggestions to improve this study.
The Relationship Between Not-For-Profit Business Models And Strategic Organisational Change (540)
Author/s: Judith Sanderse Frank H. T. De Langen Francisca Perez Salgado
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Business Models, Change Management, Not-for-profit, Organisational Change, Organisational Transformation
Abstract: This paper outlines some initial findings from a research that explores the relationship between business models and organisational change in not for profit organisations, specifically how business model analysis leads to new organisational strategies and supports the transition to a new organisational structure. The research uses the multiple case study approach drawing on documentary and empirical data, for example, in the form of interviews with senior executive level ex employees and non participant observation. The paper offers some insights into WWFs change process and how it linked the design of its new business model to its organisational change process.
Becoming Digital: Enacting Digital Transformation in Construction Firms (715)
Author/s: Thayla Zomer Andy Neely Ajith Parlikad Veronica Martinez
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: digital transformation, change management, construction sector
Abstract: Digital transformation is often conceptualised as an accomplished event; however, conceptualising it as something that organisations accomplish does not capture the features of the change process. In this study, we analyse digital transformation at the inter-organisational level (i.e. construction projects context) and conceptualise it as a dynamic change process that people enact. More specifically, we investigate the implementation of building information modelling (BIM) in construction projects, adopting a practice-based approach to explore the change process and how BIM is institutionalised in practice. We propose a preliminary conceptual model of the institutionalisation of BIM as a structuration process. Based on ethnographic data, our findings revealed two main characteristics of the process of institutionalising BIM in projects, i.e. path dependency and contingency upon institutional fields. Through our findings, we offer insights into both the literature and practice on how digital transformation in project-based contexts occurs in practice.
Professionalisation Journeys: Institutions And Agents In Change (777)
Author/s: Loua Khalil Sonya Liu Rachel Fernie
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Change, Professionalisation, Evidence-based practice
Abstract: This developmental paper sets out to learn from occupations that have shifted from craft to research-evidence based professions in order to draw on understand the interactions which can take place between institutions and agents theoretically, and secondly to apply that learning to a profession which is aiming to transform itself in this way: policing, as it aims to meet the aspirations of a national ambition: Policing Vision 2025 (NPCC, 2016). It focuses on two professions that have undergone transforming changes in the last two decades: paramedics and nursing. Using elite interviews and documentary analyses, the paper aims to explore the change elements of the transformation from craft-based to research evidence based professions. It discusses the key elements of professionalisation journeys of both paramedics and nursing including contexts of professionalisation, stockholders and their roles, benefits and challenges of professionalisation, and good practices learned from these journeys.
Drawing on all these elements, this developmental paper is concluded with a summary of the analytical insights of the professions' transformation institutionally and organisationally.
Change Management Applications for SMEs Building Dynamic Capabilities using SME Lifecycle Stages (786)
Author/s: Nouf Al Bazie Ashley Braganza
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Change Management, Dynamic Capability Theory, SME Lifecycle Stages
Abstract: This paper focuses on the SME lifecycle in relation to Change Management and Dynamic Capability Theory. The proposed research aims to demonstrate the importance of entrepreneurs understanding the current state of their business. For SMEs to increase their chances of success, it is crucial to understand the changes an organisation will face when progressing from one stage to another during the lifecycle of the business. This assists SMEs to react effectively to external changes during each lifecycle stage (creation, market entry, development, and sustainability) by building capabilities that facilitate transformation in line with external environmental changes, and so aid survival.
Global Management Norms: Understanding the Role of Social Skills in Creating Global Management Norms (852)
Author/s: Olga Tregaskis Phil Almond Kevin Daniels Tony Edwards Philipp Kern Kyoungmi Kim
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: norm change, global management norms, social skills, organisational change
Abstract: This developmental paper aims to explore the use of relational capabilities by organisational actors engaged in global management norm making in multinational organisations (MNCs). Global management norms in this research refer to management norms that are intended to generate shared or common assumptions, values or expectations about work (i.e. how work is organised) and employment (i.e. how employees are managed) practices and processes across a geographically distributed workforce; and is anchored in a relational and sociological perspective of organisational behaviour (Granovetter, 1985; Finnemore and Sikkink, 1998). This relational theoretical perspective brings into focus the social context of work relations and the significance of social skill as a means through which actors exert agency over their work environment. Qualitative data from 166 organisational actors across 24 multinational companies (MNCs) have been collected. Preliminary analysis reveal the social skill organisational actors engage when norm making. We have clustered these into 4 forms of relational capabilities.
Transformation of Indian Academia: Experiences of Academics in Indian Higher Education (887)
Author/s: Aarathi Kanthamani Shuchi Sinha
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Transformation, Indian Higher Education, Lived Experiences, Career Success
Abstract: Indian academia is undergoing considerable change. This paper captures the experiences of academics in the Indian Higher Education against the backdrop of some of these changes. Data is drawn from in depth semi structured interviews with academics from Indian Higher Education. The findings point towards the challenges experienced by academics in fulfilling their academic work roles and the diverse coping mechanisms adopted by them. The paper offers helpful insights into the academician conceptualization of objective and subjective career success.
The Evolution Of Managerial Skills Towards The Rise Of Artificial Intelligence. (939)
Author/s: Laurent Giraud Adam McGonigal Elly Fiah Selena Hernandez
Track: Organisational Transformation, Change and Development
Paper Type: Developmental Papers
Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Manager, Skills, Evolution, Qualitative.
Abstract: This study investigates how the rise of AI in organizations may affect managerial skills. To answer our exploratory research question, we will use a mixedmethods design. We first conduct a qualitative thematic content analysis on semidirective interviews to come up with research proposals. Then, those proposals are tested on a wider scale through quantitative questionnaires. Data collection targets each time AI experts and managers working with AI, in a variety of sectors and countries. Our qualitative data show how and which managerial skills are to be replaced, augmented or not affected. In parallel, our data points out specific technical as well as non technical skills that managers are expected to develop in order to successfully accompany the growing presence of AI. The paper discusses implications for theory and practice. The originality of this study lies in the mixed methods research allowing for a deep investigation of the links between managerial skills and AI, as well as their potential evolutions.