Communicating Change

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses theoretical perspectives on communicating change, analyzing and incorporating a comprehensive review of the literature on the subject of change in organizations. . The paper also notes that these perspectives on communicating change are explanatory not predictive in nature, although the research does make it simple to predict how individuals in an organization may respond to change if not properly communicated. The paper stresses that change can easily be incorporated into the culture of an organization when communicated to all levels of the organization in a top-down and horizontal manner.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Executive Summary
Literature Review
Discussion and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Wendt & Fairhurst (1994) note often when organizations try to adopt a consultative or visionary approach to communicating, they neglect to concentrate on the details of communication essential to successful integration of change in the organization. These details include communicating change on many levels. Some individuals will embrace change when it is communicated orally alone; others will require written contact, in the form of policies and procedural changes they must sign and acknowledge."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Clarkson, P. & Shaw, P. (1992). Human relationships at work: The place of counseling skills and consulting skills and services in organizations, MEAD: The Journal of the Association of Management Education and Development, 23(10):18-29.
• Dean, J.W., & Bowen, D.E. (1994). Management theory and total quality: Improving research and practice through theory development. Academy of Management Review, 19(1):392.
• Lewis, L.K. (2000). Communicating change: Four cases of quality programs. The Journal of Business Communication, 37(2):128.
• Lewis, L.K., Schmisseur, A.M, Stephens, K.K., & Weir, K.E. (2006). Advice on communicating during organizational change: The content of popular press books. The Journal of Business Communication, 43(2): 113.
• Reger, R.K., Gustafson, L.T., Demarie, S.M., & Mullane, J.V. (1994). Reframing the organization: Why implementing total quality is easier said than done. Academy of Management Review, 19(1):565.

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