Managing Change by Abandoning Planning and Embracing Improvisation

The management of change projects is accommodating a rise in improvisational working practices. A number of lessons are offered that assist in the stimulation of effective improvisational practices when implanting strategic change within organisations. Specific problems surround the tensions created when simultaneously controlling project team members whilst allowing them organisational space and the opportunity to work improvisationally. Reasons for the rise in improvisational working are also highlighted, together with the ways that a sample of organisations deals with the outcomes. A matrix is offered, which segregates case study organisations according to their cultural homogeneity and success in developing employee trust and motivation.

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