Organising changes A development perspective

‘traditional’ changework themes approaches to change problem oriented top-down designed ‘big bang’ systems metaphors - mechanistic & organic relations: cause – effect

‘traditional’ change work Meta-theoretical assumptions: –the rational agent –empirical knowledge of –one real world –language - represents reality –experts = those better able to represent how things really are

Implications one representation of reality, one expertise... dominates –definitions of fact & value in relation to –design, –control –evaluation & –definitions of progress

Some post-modern themes De-centering representation

emphasising fragmentation & multiplicity

centering language as relating

scepticism regarding all grand narratives

de-centering epistemology & truth & centering “language games” & “forms of life

Relating as a process of constructing forms of life

Relational processes relating is always ongoing –relating eg colors, words, actions, artifacts… to other colors, words, actions, images, artifacts… –all treated (equally) –as texts in text-con-text relation (re)constructing local realities & relations

relational possibilities mono-logical, hierarchical, Subject-Object (S-O) –we know what…but how! –problems of “implementation” multi-logical, different & equal (Equo) –focus on the process –of articulating & appreciating multiplicity

recently change(d) work centers dialogue within & between multiple ‘forms of life’ learning as a local, community-based affair qualities of relating appreciative and future oriented multi-centered emergent/developmental all kinds of action

consultant’s orienting principles participation grounded in this post-modern discourse of relational processes ‘orientation’- not techniques open & reflexive emphasis shifts from ‘power over’ (S-O) to ‘power to’ (Equo) & transformative change i.e., from ‘within’