Title: Why is managing change difficult? Organisational renewal and the cybernetics of effective enterprise

Authors: Michael U. Ben-Eli

Addresses: The Cybertec Consulting Group, Inc., 444 East 86 Street, NY 10028, New York, USA

Abstract: Change is used in this paper as a context for reflecting on management. Following Watzlawick and his colleagues, the concept of first and second-order change is adopted in order to distinguish between two essential types of change and the question of why is managing change difficult is addressed. Four factors are identified at the heart of this difficulty. They include the Complexity factor, the Epistemic factor, the Structural factor, and the Inertia or Vested-Interest factor. Antidotes to the four factors are briefly discussed, and organisational learning, interpreted as a system|s ability to amplify its internal variety is suggested as the most potent means of transcending limitations of existing programming and ensuring constant organisational renewal.

Keywords: change management; organisational cybernetics; second-order change; organisational learning; sustainability; sustainable development; organisational renewal; effective enterprise.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASS.2008.022800

International Journal of Applied Systemic Studies, 2008 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.146 - 158

Published online: 26 Jan 2009 *

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