1. Making sense of organizational change: the role of communication
Inger Stensaker, NHH
EUPRIO conference
June 14, 2008

2. Organizational change
Large-scale planned change occurs more frequently
Demands flexible processes and people
More chaos, uncertainty and ambiguouity in many organizations
What is the role of communication in the
context of frequent large-scale change?

3. Triggers of change External triggers Internal triggers
Economic & political developments
Globalization
Technological development
Changes in the competitive arena
Crisis and shocks
Internal triggers
Poor results
Trends
Change
In higher education:
The Bologna process
Increasing focus on
visible measures
Structural changes

4. Example og change triggering more change: Strategic responses to the Norw. Quality Reform

5. Many organizations pursue a multitude of changes
New changes are introduced before previous changes are completed
Many changes take place at the same time
TIME

6. Reactions to multiple changes
Active coping mechanisms
SABOTAGE
We continue our work as we used to and make fun of it (the change program)
TAKE SELF-CONTORL
EXIT
The manager has not had time to take care of the group at all. We have more or less found the way ourselves.
…We have called a meeting with our superiors…
In this process a number of highly qualified employees leave and find work elsewhere. Often it is the best people who choose to leave.
Change
improbable
Change probable
BOHICA
LOYALTY
There seems to be a tendency that people choose to bend over thinking that it will soon pass…
After a while you do not give a damn. I used to be involved, but nothing came out of it…The third time, I told them that I don’t want to take part anymore.
Our work load has increased as a result of these (changes). It gets harder to stay motivated.
People worked more and more and as time went by I could no longer abide by the labor laws.
PARALYSIS
It gets messy, frustrating and too much to cope with. In the end your body doesn’t function..and you just float along…
Passive coping mechanisms
Stensaker, Meyer, Falkenberg, Haueng (2002)

7. Key challenge during change
Ensuring a shared understanding of
WHAT to change
WHY do we need to change
HOW to change

8. What you see depends on where you sit
Top manager: change agent
Makes strategic decisions
Middle manager:
Change recipient and agent
Implements change (or not)
The quality reform is about high quality teaching & research
The quantity reform is about more teaching and counting
Employees: change recipient
Implement change (or not)

9. Sensemaking perspectives on change
Surprise & confusion trigger sensemaking
We try to understand what is going on by producing ”accounts”
Featurs of sensemaking
Retrospective
Cognitive process
Social process
Middle managers & employees are often left to make sense on their own
Searching for cues – any old map will do
Top managers as ”ghosts”
Employees only see the backs of their superiors

10. SM processes lead to convergent AND divergent activities
Convergent response
Divergent response
Unresolved sensemaking
Creative response
Non-compliance
Facilitating and supporting sensemaking
is essential during change

11. Sensegiving Used by: Sensegiving is enabled by:
An interpretive process through which actors influence each others sensemaking through persuasion or evocative language.
Used by:
Organizational leaders
Other stakeholders, such as middle mgrs & employees
Sensegiving is enabled by:
Duscursive ability: expertise & legitimacy
Opportunity; routines, practices, structures
Leaders will not engage in SG if
They perceive the changes as outside of their area of expertise
The changes affect less important parts of the organization

12. Sensegiving opportunities
Information meetings
Use of experts
External communication
Documents, analyses and reports
Meetings, work group, task force
Participation in decision making & process planning
Everyday activities
Informal talks & meetings
Role modelling
What we have spent years on analyzing and understanding, we expect our employees to grasp during a few months.

13. The role of sensegiving & communication is to increase change capacity
How managers mobilize for change
Change capabilities
Operational capabilites
Employees reactions to change

14. Organizations with extensive change-experience face other challenges
Reactions
Less emotional, but also less enthusiastic
Change fatigue and*/or change capable
Balance between change and daily operations
Loyalty issues
Implications for change mgmt & sensegiving
Focus on protect and stimulate
Do not overload with information
Trust in process, don’t need vision
Trust in information, don’t need as extensive involvement
Requires different approaches to sensegiving

15. Conclusions
Large-scale organizational change brings uncertainty & ambiguity
People at all levels in the organization try to make sense of what is going on and what the future will bring
Sensegiving occurs downward and upward and sideways
SENSEGIVING PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN DEVELOPING CHANGE CAPACITY
Change novice: think multiple channels & active involvement!
Change experienced: avoid overload & think protect!