Our society is in the midst of vast change which requires that we restructure our institutions and organizations to meet personal as well as organizational needs. Most organizational studies dealing with structural change investigate the degree to which organizations implement linear models of change. The validity of such an approach and the credibility of the models themselves are coming into question. This study sought instead to discover the process of organizational change by examining it as it occurred rather than by designing a model and imposing it upon an organization. The method of inquiry was a case study using ethnographic techniques. The study occurred in a K-12 university school in Florida. The school was seeking to restructure its organizational management and governance and the relationships between and among individuals internal and external to the school using the metaphor of School As Family. / This change focused upon individual and group development and involved individuals in changing themselves, their roles and relationships, and the organization. The study investigated the factors which influenced adults to participate in this change and the factors which hindered that participation. It also examined the impact of this participation upon the adults involved. It employed a qualitative paradigm using case studies and ethnographic techniques. / The study identified four themes which influenced participation. They were: Relating to Needs, Mutual Control, Potential for Change, and Sense of Unity. These influences were interrelated and interactive. There were four sources of barriers: Past History, Miscommunication, Program Nature, and Organizational Structures. These barriers functioned independently and were not interrelated with one another. The impact of participation upon adults centered around three themes: Creating Feelings, Changing Attitudes, and Improving Relationships. These were interrelated and sometimes appeared to be causal. / The results of this study suggest that although concepts of organizational change from traditional models were used in this setting, the linear approach from which they proceeded was not appropriate to the process implemented. Thirteen concepts and a theoretical model of organizational change were developed from the findings. Recommendations for further study are presented. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-06, Section: A, page: 1966. / Major Professor: Irwin R. Jahns. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76430 |
| Contributors | Kochan, Frances K., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 363 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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