Organizational change has several dimensions. The first dimension of organizational change is planned-unplanned continuum. There are two main models of change; the rational model, its assumption is that planned change can speed up an organization’s adjustment and the systems model which assumes that the system itself would find its owns best equilibrium and planning would naturally follow.
The second dimension of organizational change is the size and scope of change. Obviously, minor rearrangements of the functions of people in an institution will not have as much impact on organizational structure and behaviour as its complete reorganization.
The third dimension of organizational change is the point at which change is initiated. Does change originate at the bottom of the structure with the employees, or at the top with the principal/management? Organizational change comes about either by restructuring from the top down or by beginning at the bottom and restructuring upward.
Image Source: managementguru.net
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Usually, if an organization perceives itself as being in a crisis, it is more likely to restructure from the top down; the less compelling the cause, the more likely it is to restructure from the bottom up.
A fourth dimension of organizational change is the extent to which the proposed change is tested for effectiveness prior to implementation; the time dimension. On the one end of the continuum is incremental change. In this approach and organization first tests the effectiveness of change by means of one or several “pilot study” changes.
If these prove out, then the planned change proceeds step by step through the other parts of the organization. On the other end of this continuum is the change that occurs throughout an organization simultaneously. If a change is perceived to be crucial for survival, it is likely that the organization will change al) its parts simultaneously.