Organizational Life Cycles Bailey Johnson & Amanda Kurz UGA Institute for Nonprofit Organizations

BirthYouthMidlifeMaturity SizeSmallMediumLargeVery Large BeurocraticNonbeurocraticPrebeurocraticBeurocraticVery Beurocratic Division of Labor Overlapping Tasks Some Departments Many Departments extensive, with small jobs and many descriptions Centralizationone-person ruletwo leaders rule two department heads top- management heavy Formalizationno written rulesfew rules policy procedures and manuals extensive Administrative Intensity secretary, no professional staff increasing clerical and maintenance increasing professional and staff support large--multiple departments Internal Systems nonexistant crude budget and information system control systems in place; budget, performance, reports, etc.. extensive -- planning, financial, and personnel added Lateral Teams, task forces for coordination nonetop leaders only some use of integrators and task forces frequent at lower levels to break down bureaucracy

5 Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations Stage One: Imagine and Inspire ("Can the dream be realized?") Stage Two: Found and Frame ("How are we going to pull this off?") Stage Three: Ground and Grow ("How can we build this to be viable?") Stage Four: Produce and Sustain ("How can the momentum be sustained?") Stage Five: Review and Renew ("What do we need to redesign?") Simon, J.S. (2001)

Quinn & Cameron, 1983 (i) creativity and entrepreneurship stage, whereby innovation, marshaling of resources for survival and concentration on input activities are important (ii) collectivity stage, where emphasis is placed upon communication and cohesion, which is associated with an internal process, becomes top priority (iii) formalization and control stage, which focuses on stability, control and production efficiency (iv) structure elaboration and adaption stage, where domain expansion and flexibility become a growing concern.

Organizational Change

Effective Change Phase 1: Motivating Change Phase 2: Creating Vision Phase 3: Developing Political Support Phase 4: Managing Transition Phase 5: Sustaining Momentum

Roles During Change Change Initiator Change Agent Champion for Change Sponsor for Change Leadership, Supervision and Delegation

Application Activity Split into groups. Read the article. Describe in which stage of the organizational life cycle this nonprofit orgainzation resides. How can you tell? What changes would you recommend for this organization to further develop or move to the next stage?

Resources McNamara, C. (2008). Field guide to leadership and supervision. Minneapolis, MN: Authenticity Consulting. Chin, D.C.W. (1994). Organizational life cycle: a review and proposed directions for research. Mid-Atlantic Journal of Business. From