The Need to Change Organizations Can Decrease Over Time

Mangers used to believe that organizations changed more and more often over time. It was thought that change was like a snowball rolling down a hill that got bigger and bigger. The amount of organizational change increased as managers improved their skills at making effective changes and saw change as an effective way to improve their organization. However, today’s best managers know that successful organizational changes can lead to less and less need for more change. The more that you successfully help change an organization, then the less likely that you may have to help change that organization again in the future.

Source: Beck, N., Bruederl, J. & Woywode, M. 2008. Momentum or deceleration? Theoretical and methodological reflections on the analysis of organizational change. Academy of Management Journal, 51: 413-435.