Factors contributing for success of change management initiatives: Grounded Theory Analysis
Abstract:
In today's
rapidly evolving business landscape, organizational change is imperative for
survival. However, change initiatives are often complex, simultaneous, and
demanding, presenting significant challenges for leaders. Despite the
development of comprehensive change models, empirical evidence suggests that a
substantial portion—30 percent—of change initiatives fail to deliver the
intended results. Prior research in change management lacks the
comprehensiveness needed to fully understand the factors contributing to these
failures, and existing theories often lack empirical support. This study aims
to address this gap by identifying the factors contributing to change successes
through data collected from change practitioners, leaders, academicians, and
others. Grounded theory approach is employed to develop a comprehensive
theoretical model capable of capturing the multifaceted nature of change
management. Data from nine highly rated change management podcasts, comprising
60 episodes, are analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding techniques to
identify 10 main categories of factors contributing to change initiative
successes. The identified categories include leadership and management, communication
and transparency, employee involvement and participation, training and
development, culture and values, adaptability and resilience, strategic
planning and decision making, psychological safety and trust, storytelling and
vision, and tools and techniques. Deep analysis of each category and
subcategory offers nuanced insights into the factors influencing change
initiative successes, providing valuable guidance for practitioners seeking to
enhance their change initiatives.
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