‘Kill Bill’ and the change agent: A multi-genre approach to organizational stories

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 797-811
Author(s):  
Melanie Bryant ◽  
Jennifer Frahm

AbstractThis paper argues that change practitioners could benefit from expanding change communication strategies to allow for the emergence and use of multi-genre change stories in place of minimalist storylines. We argue that minimalist storylines do not acknowledge the polyvocal view of change that has been discussed in storytelling theory or engage with multiple modes of understanding and suggest that change agents adopt a multi-genre approach to storytelling to address this gap. Drawing from Quentin Tarantino's movies Kill Bill 1 & 2 as an example of how stories can be constructed, this paper proposes that the use of multiple story genres increases the likelihood of audiences finding a genre they can relate to, thus increasing better audience reach. Findings suggest that existing change narrative types can be viewed as genres of organizational change and added to change agents' repertoires to make change communication interventions more appropriate and appealing to employees. While our paper aims to provide a conceptual way forward for change agents, we acknowledge that change agents need to engage with living stories in the future. Living stories recognize the multiple loose ends developed from past and present change experiences that can be used to construct new stories, which are more likely to transform organizations and acknowledge the unfolding nature of change.

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 797-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Bryant ◽  
Jennifer Frahm

AbstractThis paper argues that change practitioners could benefit from expanding change communication strategies to allow for the emergence and use of multi-genre change stories in place of minimalist storylines. We argue that minimalist storylines do not acknowledge the polyvocal view of change that has been discussed in storytelling theory or engage with multiple modes of understanding and suggest that change agents adopt a multi-genre approach to storytelling to address this gap. Drawing from Quentin Tarantino's movies Kill Bill 1 & 2 as an example of how stories can be constructed, this paper proposes that the use of multiple story genres increases the likelihood of audiences finding a genre they can relate to, thus increasing better audience reach. Findings suggest that existing change narrative types can be viewed as genres of organizational change and added to change agents' repertoires to make change communication interventions more appropriate and appealing to employees. While our paper aims to provide a conceptual way forward for change agents, we acknowledge that change agents need to engage with living stories in the future. Living stories recognize the multiple loose ends developed from past and present change experiences that can be used to construct new stories, which are more likely to transform organizations and acknowledge the unfolding nature of change.


Author(s):  
Phil Jackson ◽  
Bernard Burnes

This chapter examines how the success of change initiatives can be increased by designing the change communication process to create alignment between the values underpinning the type of change, the values of the people implementing the change, and the values of the people affected by the change. The authors use Graves' ECLET values systems methodology to show how change agents can understand and identify the dominant values systems within the people and organizations they are working with, which will enable them to express change communication in a way that creates values systems alignment. The chapter begins by examining why change fails. It then moves on to describe Graves' work and then to provide examples of how it can be used to improve the success of change projects. The chapter concludes by suggesting key questions change agents need to ask when undertaking change initiatives.


Author(s):  
Filippo Ferrari

This chapter aims to present the obstacles both scholars and practitioners must overcome in facing organizational change. Indeed, too often practitioners lack any rigorous evidence-based background and rely on their previous experience and common sense. At the same time, scholars too often work in a very separated academic world, thus ignoring the actual problems that professionals face in actual firms. Being both a scholar and a practitioner, the author highlights the common challenges likely to be faced by change agents when facilitating organizational change: recognizing the readiness of the involved people to change, their skill mismatch, their previous change history, and the level of cynicism. A fully reflective change agent must consider these factors in designing and implementing an evidence-based organizational change and development (EBOCD) initiative and change agency process if he or she wishes to achieve positive outcomes both from the organizational and the involved people's point of view.


MANASA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-86
Author(s):  
Leonardus Dewa Hardana ◽  
Rayini Dahesihsari

Abstract The main challenge for internal change agents is to overcome the ambiguity of their role as members of the organization who at the same time have to manage change in the organization. These challenges lead to the emergence of various boundaries encountered in organizations, which need to be spanned with the right strategy for change to be managed effectively. Unfortunately, there have not been many guidelines and training specifically provided to internal change agents, particularly regarding the constraints encountered and strategies for overcoming those boundaries. Generally, available training programs and guidance provided develop the ability to manage change in general. This self-guided manual for internal change agents aims to develop the ability of internal change agents, especially in overcoming the ambiguity of their role in the organization, by recognizing the boundaries they face and strategies for breaking those boundaries. This guide was developed based on the results of previous research that qualitatively explored the role of internal change agents in managing change in organizations, particularly in recognizing the boundaries encountered and their strategies for breaking boundaries so that organizational change can take place effectively. There are 3 stages carried out, namely 1) preparation, 2) guide development, and 3) evaluation and dissemination. This guidebook with the title “Spanning Boundaries, Becoming a Reliable Internal Change Agent” is organized into 4 parts, namely: Section (1) Organizational Change and the Role of Change Agents, (2) Boundaries Found in Implementing Change, (3) Strategies to Overcome Boundaries, (4) Personal Characters Needed to Overcome Boundaries and How to Develop It. It is hoped that because it is based on empirical data, the guidelines that have been compiled can develop the insight of internal change agents to be able to answer the concrete challenges faced to be able to manage change effectively. Keywords: Self-Guided Manual, Internal Change Agent, Boundary Spanning, Change Management   Abstrak Tantangan utama agen perubahan internal adalah mengatasi ambiguitas perannya sebagai anggota organisasi yang pada saat yang bersamaan harus mengelola perubahan di organisasi. Tantangan ini menyebabkan munculnya berbagai batasan yang ditemui dalam organisasi, yang perlu dapat diretas dengan strategi yang tepat agar perubahan dapat dikelola secara efektif. Sayangnya belum banyak ditemukan panduan dan pelatihan yang khusus diberikan kepada agen perubahan internal, khususnya terkait dengan batasan yang ditemui dan strategi untuk meretas batasan tersebut. Umumnya program pelatihan dan panduan yang diberikan mengembangkan kemampuan mengelola perubahan secara umum. Panduan mandiri (self guided manual) untuk agen perubahan internal ini bertujuan untuk mengembangkan kemampuan agen perubahan internal, khususnya dalam mengatasi ambiguitas perannya dalam organisasi, dengan mengenali batasan yang dihadapi serta strategi meretas batasan tersebut. Panduan ini dikembangkan berdasar hasil penelitian yang dilakukan sebelumnya yang mengeksplorasi secara kualitatif peran agen perubahan internal dalam mengelola perubahan dalam organisasi, khususnya dalam mengenali batasan yang ditemui serta strategi mereka dalam meretas batasan agar perubahan organisasi dapat berlangsung secara efektif. Terdapat 3 tahapan yang dijalankan, yakni tahapan 1) persiapan, 2) pengembangan panduan, dan 3) evaluasi dan diseminasi. Panduan dengan judul “Meretas Batasan, Menjadi Agen Perubahan Internal yang Handal” disusun menjadi 4 bagian, yakni: Bagian (1) Perubahan Organisasi dan Peran Agen Perubahan, (2) Boundary yang Ditemui dalam Mengimplementasi Perubahan, (3) Strategi Mengatasi Boundary, (4) Karakter Personal yang Dibutuhkan untuk Mengatasi Boundary dan Cara Mengembangkannya. Diharapkan karena didasarkan pada data empiris, maka panduan yang disusun dapat mengembangkan wawasan agen perubahan internal untuk dapat menjawab tantangan konkrit yang dihadapi agar mampu mengelola perubahan secara efektif. Kata kunci: Panduan Mandiri, Agen Perubahan Internal, Boundary Spanning, Change Management


2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (200) ◽  
pp. 131-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suada Penava ◽  
Dzevad Sehic

The subject of the research presented in this paper is the role of the leadership of change agents in the implementation of organizational change. The focus of research is on the micro-aspect of change, specifically on the impact of changes in employees and their attitudes and behaviors that have a direct and significant impact on change success. The results of empirical research conducted in one Bosnian company show that the transformational behavior of the change agent is not equally relevant and effective in the case of the three organizational changes implemented in the company. The explanation for this can be found in the characteristics of the changes themselves, both those related to their cause and those related to the depth of the intervention and the expected consequences of change in the organizational culture.


Author(s):  
Filippo Ferrari

This chapter aims to present the obstacles both scholars and practitioners must overcome in facing organizational change. Indeed, too often practitioners lack any rigorous evidence-based background and rely on their previous experience and common sense. At the same time, scholars too often work in a very separated academic world, thus ignoring the actual problems that professionals face in actual firms. Being both a scholar and a practitioner, the author highlights the common challenges likely to be faced by change agents when facilitating organizational change: recognizing the readiness of the involved people to change, their skill mismatch, their previous change history, and the level of cynicism. A fully reflective change agent must consider these factors in designing and implementing an evidence-based organizational change and development (EBOCD) initiative and change agency process if he or she wishes to achieve positive outcomes both from the organizational and the involved people's point of view.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 158-169
Author(s):  
Dheera.V. R ◽  
Jayasree Krishnan

Organizations that are aiming to successfully implement change needs the support and acceptance of employees who are their key stakeholder. This study analyses the influence of Employees` attitude towards organization change. The research also aims at evaluating the influence of employees’ attitude towards commitment to organization and job after the introduction of change in the organization. The study was conducted among 300 employees who belonged to executive and managerial category from different star rated hotels in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India which are currently embracing organization changes. The findings indicate that employees of the study demonstrate a positive approach towards the change management in their organization. The observations also project that a positive approach by employees towards changes, is a very good indication for organizations to know that their workforce is committed towards the organizational goals. Hence with the support of change agents, adequate communications and by creating awareness about the need for change will result in sustainable growth in the organizations.


ABI-Technik ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 357-364
Author(s):  
Martin Lee ◽  
Christina Riesenweber

AbstractThe authors of this article have been managing a large change project at the university library of Freie Universität Berlin since January 2019. At the time of writing this in the summer of 2020, the project is about halfway completed. With this text, we would like to give some insight into our work and the challenges we faced, thereby starting conversations with similar undertakings in the future.


2021 ◽  
pp. 000841742199436
Author(s):  
Annie Carrier ◽  
Alexandra Éthier ◽  
Michaël Beaudoin ◽  
Anne Hudon ◽  
Denis Bédard ◽  
...  

Background. Change agents’ actions have been studied mainly from a theoretical perspective. Purpose. This study aimed to empirically identify occupational therapists’ actual change agent actions. Method. As part of a research partnership with the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists-Québec chapter, we conducted this cross-sectional pilot study using an online survey. Findings. The change agent practices of our 103 participants involve many types of actions but show underinvestment in mass communication. Mass communication actions are more frequent when participants have greater experience, additional academic degrees, and training in change agency. Also, occupational therapists with additional academic degrees and change agency training tend to use a wider variety of actions. Finally, our participants’ actions principally target actors in the clinical context, rarely political actors. Implications. Our results suggest that occupational therapists can and will invest in the full range of change agent actions provided they can acquire the necessary knowledge and skills.


2021 ◽  
pp. 205715852199599
Author(s):  
Eva Ericson-Lidman ◽  
Gunilla Strandberg

Culture change in organizations may affect employees and change agents are often a forgotten resource; their perspective is often overlooked in research. The aim of the study was to illuminate experiences of being a change agent in order to improve residential care of older people. Interviews were performed with 15 change agents who participated in a large culture transformation in residential care for older people. The study followed COREQ guidelines and content analysis was used to interpret the text. The analysis revealed that the change agents felt chosen when they accepted the challenge to become a change agent, but they also felt that transferring the message to co-workers was demanding. Conflicting demands about measuring care and aggravating circumstances to implement change were described. The results indicate that change agents benefit from preparation for the role itself as they have a great responsibility on their shoulders. In making the process more successful, all co-workers should be involved in the change process from the beginning.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document