This is the report of a study into educational change. The purpose of the investigation was to observe and analyse an example of a system-wide policy change through an intensive and disciplined case study, in order to develop a theory about the implementation of a particular change process and use that theory to account for the way the observed change process proceeded. Although change and how it was achieved in a large, complex bureaucratic organisation was the primary focus for theory development and understanding, the role of the management personnel in the change process was also of interest. The introduction of performance management (in particular, promotion-by-merit within the Western Australian Ministry of Education) was the change example under consideration. In contrast to the traditional way-of-studying-educational change, the present study adopted a participant observation case study using a grounded theory approach (Glaser and Strauss, 1967), because of its use in a previous study (Heaven, 1987) and in addition, the literature review indicated a lack of grounded theory studies in this area. Grounded theory is not the only methodology which can generate theory grounded in the data. However,it does ensure that a well-connected and comprehensive theory will emerge and that the theory which does emerge will be clearly and demonstrably grounded in the data from which it derives. Seven major factors or categories were identified from this grounded theory study. These factors included values, antagonists, ethos, infrastructure, equivocation, communication and culture. Five models of change were developed. / The first model was developed by analysing the literature using grounded theory methodology as a metaphor and the literature was mapped in a way which had not been done before. The result was the identification of eight 'categories' of findings in the literature,which, taken together, constitute an emergent sense of a 'theory' of educational change. The second and third models focused on the implementation of the specific policy change examined. The fourth and fifth models were developed as generic models of change implementation which, it is suggested, may be applicable in varying degrees to other comparable change implementation situations. The five models developed in this study provide managers with relatively simple ways of conceptualising a complex process- and provide a set of reference points or stages for action. Recommendations for further research include the application of grounded theory methodology to the totality of the literature on educational change, further investigation of the role and importance of an organisation's culture and its values in the implementation of change, and further study of the role played by illusions in the change implementation process.

Communication is inextricably linked with the process of organisational change (Lewis, 1999). However, managers report that communication of organisational change is challenging, particularly with the advent of continuously changing organisations (Buchanan, Claydon & Doyle, 1999). Continuously changing organisations are those that seek to be more flexible, more innovative and more responsive to the dynamic external environment. One of the problems associated with continuous change is the resultant impact of successive downsizings, re-engineering efforts and culture changes on employee receptivity to change. Despite the unquestioning adoption of continuous change efforts (Zorn, Christensen, & Cheney, 1999) there is a paucity of research on communication during this type of change. This thesis addresses this knowledge gap by situating the research within a continuous change context. The primary research question is 'how do change communication models impact on employee receptivity to change within a continuous change context', and this question considers issues pertaining to how accurately previous change communication models reflect and explain what occurs within change processes. This topic is examined within two case-study organisations through the use of multiple methods. The analysis occurs through an interpretive framework and utilises Langley's (1999) alternate templates as a strategy to manage the process based research. A model of change communication during continuous change is presented, with the central constructs of the model being monologic change communication, dialogic change communication and the background talk of change. Further, Van de Ven and Poole's (1995) Process Theories of Change are extended to consider the sequencing of the three constructs. The findings suggest that the sequencing of the dominant change communication models is informed by an alignment of individual communication competences and change communication expectations.