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MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
PROFESSOR Jean Bartunek
MB80201
Spring, 2009, Tuesday, 4:30 – 6:45 pm
Office hours: T 3:30 – 4:30
Or by appointment
Syllabus constructed: January 18, 2009
Office: Fulton 430C
Office Phone: 552-0455 (fax ext: 2-1601)
Home Phone: 661-1347
(call before 10 PM)
e-mail: bartunek@bc.edu
TEACHING ASSISTANT: Opal Leung
Office: Fulton 214
email: leungo@bc.edu
office phone: 617-552-0718
COURSE OVERVIEW:
My hope in this class is to help you increase your effectiveness in dealing with multiple aspects of
organizational change – in understanding conditions that may require it, in increasing awareness of
multiple ways that organizations change, in managing change, in receiving and participating in it, and in
understanding your own approaches and responses to change. Organizations are changing so rapidly and
in so many ways that it is crucial for managers to have this knowledge.
Thus, the course readings are aimed at expanding awareness and knowledge of multiple issues associated
with change. There will be guest speakers who regularly create change. There will also be cases and
class activities aimed at skill building in ways that are related to students’ own organizational settings.
Hopefully you will come away from class with more knowledge and more confidence in your own
abilities with regard to organizational change.
REQUIRED BOOKS (AVAILABLE FROM THE BOOKSTORE)
Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. 2006 (2nd Ed.). Diagnosing and changing organizational culture. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (C&Q below)
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. 2009 (2nd Ed.) Managing organizational change: A multiple
perspectives approach. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin (P et al. below)
REQUIRED READINGS AND MATERIALS POSTED ON OR ACCESSIBLE FROM OUR
CLASS BLACKBOARD SITE/ http://cms.bc.edu under CLASS MATERIALS
January 27:
Cameron and Quinn Organizational culture profile
February 3:
Amerman, D. R. September 17, 2008. AIG's Dangerous Collapse & A Credit Derivatives Risk Primer.
Retrieved from http://www.financialsense.com/fsu/editorials/amerman/2008/0917.html
February 10:
Scoring the MSAI
Form for plotting the Management Skills Profile
The Images of Managing Change Scale
Scoring the Images of Managing Change Scale
February 17:
Palmer et al. Exercise 4.3 (modified)
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability
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March 10:
Rousseau, D.M. 1996, Changing the deal while keeping the people. Academy of Management Executive,
10: 50-58.
Ramirez, R., & Bartunek, J. 1991. Community Health Center Case
March 17:
Seijts, G. H., & O’Farrell, G. 2003. Engage the heart: Appealing to the emotions facilitates change.
Ivey Business Journal, 67(3): 1 – 5.
March 24:
Barrett, F. J. 1995. Creating appreciative learning cultures. Organizational Dynamics, 24 (2): 36 – 49.
Barrett, F. J., & Cooperrider, D. 1990. Generative Metaphor Intervention: A New Approach for Working
with Systems Divided by Conflict and Caught in Defensive Perception. Journal of Applied
Behavioral Science, 26: 219-239.
Powley, E. H., Fry, R. E., Barrett, F. J., & Bright, D. S. 2004. Dialogic democracy meets command and
control: Transformation through the Appreciative Inquiry Summit. Academy of Management
Executive, 18 (3): 67-80.
March 31:
Yincom and Yangnet case
April 14:
Garvin, D. A., & Roberto, M. A. 2005. Change through persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 83 (2):
104-112
CGSOM Core Values
A graduate program is as strong as the values that drive it. At the Carroll School of Management, our
core values are an integral part of who we are. The following guiding principles are a way of life for
every member of the community and serve as the foundation for building strong, trust-based relationships
among and between the members of the community which includes: students, faculty, administration,
alumni and employers.
Honesty and Integrity. We are committed to promoting the highest standards of honesty and integrity to
ensure that all members of the community recognize the inherent benefits of living these ideals and to
guarantee that academic performance is evaluated reliably and rewarded fairly.
Mutual Respect. We are committed to fostering an environment in which every member of the
community nurtures the spirit of trust, teamwork, openness and respect that is necessary to embrace and
fully capitalize on our professional community.
Pursuit of Excellence. We are committed to creating an environment where all members of the
community pursue the highest possible level of academic performance and personal development for
themselves and other members of the community.
Personal Accountability. We are committed to fostering an environment where every member of the
community understands and accepts responsibility for upholding and reinforcing our values.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING: Papers are due in electronically to me
(bartunek@bc.edu) by the beginning of the classes on their due date.
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability
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Exercise 1.1 paper
Change signature paper
Team Presentation on change
Change Process paper
Class Participation
10%
15%
15%
40%
20%
Change Reflection Paper (10% of grade): Exercise 1.1, option one in P et al. Due: January 27
In preparation for the second class, write a 2 – 3 page paper in which you think back to an important
change you have experienced in your personal or professional life. Summarize the change in one page
and answer the following questions about it: What made it a story? Of the change “lessons” outlined in
Table 1.1, which of these are present in your story? Which are absent? What are the implications? Are
there other “lessons” embedded in your story for future changes in which you might be involved?
Your Change Signature (15% of grade) Due: March 17
Everyone has a “change signature,” one or more characteristic ways of dealing with change as a change
agent, intermediary, and/or recipient. Understanding your change signature is very important to your
effectiveness. You may want to change it, but even if you do not wish to make changes, it is helpful if
you have thought about what it currently is.
Based explicitly on course materials from at least 3 classes, describe your “change signature” in a 4 – 5
page paper. That is, describe the characteristic way(s) you initiate and respond to organizational change
efforts. There is no “one” correct change signature. For example you may be a proponent of radical
change, resist any change that someone else initiates, or a combination.
This paper is not just about your philosophy of responding to and initiating change. Rather, you should
describe examples of behaviors in which you have engaged as a change agent and/or change recipient.
You should link these behaviors explicitly with class materials (that you formally reference), and explore
the linkage between the behaviors and materials in some depth.
Team presentation on change (15% of grade): April 21
In addition to the materials we will explore in the class, there are a number of focus areas for
organizational change that are occurring in many sectors. These include, for example, globalization,
downsizing, technology, diversity, the aging workforce, restructuring, flexible work arrangements and
means of sustaining change. Small teams of students will focus on these changes.
Early in the course you will be assigned (based on your choice) to work in a small team (approximately 5
students) that will focus on one such change element. On April 21, each team will lead a 20 minute
session that provides an overview of the focus area they have selected. I will provide your team with 1-2
readings to use as resources but I would like to see you add some of your own perspectives as well. In
presenting the topic, you should be creative; incorporating an exercise, video vignette, etc. to help make
your key points and stimulate class discussion. These presentations will take place during the last class.
Change Process Paper (40% of grade): Due April 28
The Change Process Paper is the major deliverable for the course. Select a substantial change effort that
you are involved in currently, or have recently experienced (or, if necessary, can find substantial written
material about), and analyze it on the basis of the materials covered in this class. One reason to consider
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability
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a change in which you are or have been involved is that it allows you a better understanding of the
psychological ups and downs involved in a change process, thereby providing a greater appreciation for
how difficult real change is.
The paper should follow this outline:
1. Introduction: What is the situation, organization, and context for the change? Also, it is
important that you convey clearly from what perspective you will be writing the analysis. Did
you lead the change? Were you a participant in the change? Are you reporting on information
that you received second-hand or through secondary sources? If so, what are those sources?
2. Analysis according to class materials: Analyze the approach taken by the change agent(s), and
write separate sections for each of the following: a) the image of the type of change held by the
change agent(s), b) the “culture” of the setting that is changing and the role culture played in the
change, c) the diagnosis of the change, d) the extent to which the (envisioned and actual) change
was first or second order/adaptive or transformational/tectonic, e) the method(s) for
implementing change, f) the vision for the change, and g) how the change was communicated.
3. Overall Evaluation: Evaluate the quality of the change agent’s work based on class readings.
You should also evaluate outcomes from a process and outcome perspective (i.e. some change
efforts follow good process but do not yield good outcomes, and vice versa.)
4. Recommendations: Include a list of recommendations suggesting what steps could have been
taken to increase the success of the project.
Criteria for grading the paper will include:

Use of materials from the course. I expect that your paper will make a number of references to class
readings and discussions. While you do not need to footnote, you should cite the reading by putting
the author’s name and the date of the publication in parentheses following the reference. Where
quotes are used directly, put the page number the quote appears on. A list of all readings you
referenced in the paper should appear at the end of the paper.

Use of supplemental material to support the paper: Please include graphs, process flow diagrams,
organizations charts, survey results, etc. that help tell the story more vividly.

The rigor of your analysis of the change process on a step-by-step basis

The use of supporting data. If you make an assertion such as “Morale at my company was at an alltime low,” on what do you base this? Or, if you suggest, “This project has had an enormous impact
on customer satisfaction,” how do you know this to be true? While it is acceptable to occasionally
insert some subjectivity into the analysis – be clear to identify what is subjective opinion and what is
based on more objective data sources.

The quality of your conclusions and recommendations
The final paper’s narrative should be about 8 - 10 pages (attachments not included.)
Class participation (20% of final grade)
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability
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Your participation is critical not only for your personal learning, but also for the learning of your
classmates. Much of the value of the class comes from prepared, thoughtful, and informed dialog
between you and your classmates. Participation will be assessed in several ways.
1. You will be evaluated on your on-time attendance in class and on the quality of your contributions to
class, not just their quantity. Quality comments include adding new insights to the readings, offering a
unique and relevant perspective on the issues, contributing to moving the discussion and analysis
forward, extending rather than repeating others’ comments, and demonstrating reflective thinking.
2. To facilitate class participation, what you should prepare for each class in which there is not a guest
speaker is included in this syllabus. In addition, sometimes you are asked to bring some materials to class
for other class members. Being present, being prepared, and bringing all materials are minimum
requirements for a “B” participation grade. If you know in advance you must miss or be late for several
sessions you should not register for this class. If for some reason (e.g. a business trip) you cannot be
physically present for a particular class, you are still responsible to contribute to it by posting to our class
website, in the DISCUSSION section, in advance of class (or, if necessary, after it) your responses to the
questions posed for that class. This will be a way for you to earn partial participation credit.)
3. NOT using your laptop during class. Everything you need to post or email should be posted before
class (or, if necessary) afterwards.
COURSE OUTLINE:
QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ANSWER FOR EVERY CLASS:
1. WHAT IN THIS WEEK’S READINGS IS SO GOOD YOU WISH YOU HAD WRITTEN IT YOURSELF?
2. WHAT IN THIS WEEK’S READINGS DO YOU MOST DISAGREE WITH?
January 20. The changing context of organizational change: Introduction to the course
January 27.
Our own responses to change & introduction to organizational culture
Readings
P et al., ch. 1, C&Q, ch. 1 – 4, p. 222 - 223
On class website: A copy of the culture profile
Preparation for this class
1. Complete the organizational culture assessment instrument (ch. 2) and the organizational culture
profile (on p. 67 of the book and on our class website) for an organization with which you are
familiar. Post a copy (from p. 67) on the class website under Discussions/January 27 in advance
of class and be prepared to explain it to other class members.
Assignment: Exercise 1.1 option one assignment due
Feb. 3. How to manage when everything around the organization is changing
Guest speaker, Mr. Robert A. Ferris, President, Celtic Capital LLC
Readings on our class website:
Amerman reading Visit the PlyGem website, http://www.plygem.com/index.html, to review the
information there about the company and its product lines.
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability
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February 10. Role of the leader and diagnosis for change
Readings
P et al., p. 26 – 33; ch. 5
C&Q, ch. 6, Appendix B
Materials on class website
Scoring the MSAI
Form for plotting the Management Skills Profile
The Images of Managing Change Scale
Scoring the Images of Managing Change Scale
Preparation for this class
1. Complete the management behavior self-rating form (C&Q p. 171 - 177), and score it using the
scoring the MSAI form on our class website. Post the scores (you don’t have to include your
name) on the discussion section of our website
Also: enter your scores onto the Form for plotting the Management Skills Profile
and bring the completed figures to class with you so we can discuss them.
2. Based on the Palmer et al. text, which type of change manager style best fits you? Complete the
“images of managing change” scale on our class website, and score it, using the “scoring the
images of managing change scale” on our class website. Enter your scores (you don’t have to
include your name) on the discussion section of the website
3. Complete the following Tables in P et al with regard to the organization whose culture you
diagnosed for the January 27 class or another organization you definitely believe needs changing;
Tables 5.6, 5.9, 5.14 (what would you imagine would happen if you carried out the steps in Table
5.15?)
4. Answer the questions at the end of the Boeing Case (end of P. ch. 5) using any of the diagnostic
models in the chapter.
February 17. What and how change happens in organizations
Readings:
C&Q, ch. 5, Appendix C.
P et al., ch. 4
On our class website
Palmer et al. Exercise 4.3 (modified)
Preparation for this class
1. How would you go about changing the organization you diagnosed on January 27 and February
10? Based on the C&Q materials, complete Figure 5.5 and bring it to class.
2. What is the difference between first and second-order change in organizations? Between these
two and tectonic change? What are examples of each in your organizations? What kind of change
you are thinking of for your organization (question #1 above)?
3. Complete a modified version of Exercise 4.3 (on the form on our class website) and bring it to
class
4. Answer the questions as the end of the Nestle case (P., p. 109 - 110).
At the end of class you will choose groups for working on the team presentations on April 21.
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability
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February 24. (TENTATIVE DATE) The roles, careers, and work of consultants
Guest Speaker. Ms. Maryann Gallivan, who is an independent consultant working in Europe and
affiliated with Zenesis Limited
Readings assigned by the speaker
March 10. The recipients of change
Readings
P et al., ch. 6
from our class website
Rousseau reading
Community Health Center Case
Preparation for this class
1. What is your image of resistance to change? (Is it consistent with your image of managing
change?) How would you recognize resistance?
2. When is resistance to change justified? For example, is it okay if managers resist change?
3. On the basis of the Rousseau reading, what role does the psychological contract play in
change?
4. Answer the questions at the end of the Perrier case
5. Answer the questions at the end of the “Community Health Center” case
March 17. Implementing change: Organization Development, sensemaking approaches, change
management contingency and process approaches.
Readings:
P et al., ch. 7; ch. 8
On our class website:
Seijts & O’Farrell reading
Preparation for this class
Do exercise 7.2 with respect to your own organization
Prepare exercise 8.3
Prepare answers to the British airways swipe card debacle case (P et al., p. 239-241)
Assignment: Change signature paper due
March 24. The conduct of large group interventions
Guest speaker: Professor Frank J. Barrett, Visiting Scholar, Harvard Business School
Readings on our class website
Barrett reading
Barrett & Cooperrider reading
Powley et al. reading
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March 31. A vision for change
Readings:
P et al., ch. 9
on our course website
Yincom and Yangnet case
Preparation for this class
1. Assume you are the CEO of Yincom. Be prepared to give a 10 minute talk to the employees of
Yincom and Yangnet [the latter over a video connection] in which you describe how visioning
will unfold in the new company.
2. What is your (current or past) organization’s vision (statement)? Assuming the organization has
one, bring it with you to class, and the class will assess it in relation to the Table 9.3 and Table
9.4 frameworks.
3. How (effectively) has the company’s vision been used, especially for guiding change?
4. What’s the difference between a vision and a mission?
5. Answer questions at the end of the Mentor Graphics case (P et al., ch. 9).
April 7. Mergers and Acquisitions
Speaker: Ms. Kathryn Hinderhofer, Executive Vice President, Business Integration, Citizens
Bank of Massachusetts
Readings assigned by the speaker
April 14. Communicating Change
P et al., ch. 11
On our class website
Garvin & Roberto article
Preparation for this class
1. Analyze a video of a communication about change (to be determined) in terms of the
materials about communication in ch. 11
a. What type of image of managing change was conveyed (Table 11.1)
b. What kind of change conversation skills were demonstrated – did the speaker talk in
stages? Talk coherently? Align language with the desired change?
c. How persuasive was it (in terms of the Garvin & Roberto article)?
2. Do exercise 11.1 and 11.3. We will discuss some of these in class
3. Answer the questions at the end of the Tyco Case (P et al., ch. 11)
April 21. Team Presentations
April 28. Change process paper due (electronically) by midnight
CGSOM core values: Honesty and integrity…Mutual respect…Pursuit of excellence…Personal accountability