Change and Social Organization

Authors

Alan M. Cohen, University of Western Ontario

Abstract

Organizations continually adapt to external organizational imperatives such as technology, population, knowledge and values. The increasing rate and intensity of these imperatives necessitates fhanges in services irrespective of the organization's formal intentions to change. It is suggested that organizational characteristics amenable to handling change do not occur randomly. Six organizational characteristics are discussed. It is emphasized however, that these six organizational characteristics are not in themselves, sufficient to insure the successful implementation of change. A changing relationship between individuals, as well as a process of routinization must also be dealt with if the imperative for organizational change is to be effectively met. Three stages in this process of routinization are suggested. These are: (1) the provision of a functional input information base; (2) relating changing programs to explicitly defined goals; and (3) the implementation of management by objectives as a tool for providing the organizational characteristics discussed in this paper. It is suggested that these three stages should provide an appropriate environment for working towards a more sustained and effective implementation of organizational change.

Recommended Citation

Cohen, Alan M. (1973) "Change and Social Organization," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, Article 11.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.1011
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol1/iss1/11