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Organisational Change
Sternberg, R. J. (2002). 'Effecting organisational change: A "mineralogical" theory of organisational modifiability.' Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 54(3), 147-156.
Using analogies with minerals such as iron, opals and diamonds, Sternberg proposes a theory of organisational modifiability. In short, he argues that in order to successfully implement a program of change, the organisation needs to be modifiable in the first place. If an organisation is considered to be low in modifiability, then it must be made more modifiable before programs of change are implemented. It is possible that, in cases where interventions for change prove unsuccessful, the intervention is blamed. However, it may be the initial unmodifiability of the organisation that led to failure, and such interventions may be fruitful with more modifiable organisations.
Sternberg posits eight types of organisations with eight mineralogical descriptions.
| Rusted iron | Low in desire for change, low in desire for the appearance of change and low in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural and deep-structural change is low |
| Granite | Low in desire for change, low in desire for the appearance of change, high in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural and deep-structural change is low |
| Amber (with internal insects) | Low in desire for change, high in desire for the appearance of change, low in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural change is medium-low and deep-structural change is low |
| Opal | Low in desire for change, high in desire for the appearance of change, high in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural change is medium-low and deep-structural change is low |
| Cubic zirconium | High in desire for change, low in desire for the appearance of change, low in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural change is medium-low and deep-structural change is low |
| Slightly imperfect diamond | High in desire for actual change, low in desire for the appearance of change, high in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural change is moderately high and deep-structural change is moderately low |
| Lead | High in desire for actual change, high in desire for the appearance of change, low in perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural change is moderately high and deep-structural change is moderately low |
| Diamond in the rough | High in desire for actual change, the appearance of change, and perceived quality | Likelihood of surface-structural and deep-structural change is high |
Sternberg provides examples of the types of organisations that fit his mineralogical description. He proposes that surface-structural interventions (building on what's already there) have a reasonable chance of succeeding in a variety of organisations. However, deep-structural interventions, which require the building of new structures, will succeed in relatively few organisations.
Included in this article is an inventory, freely available, that can be used to assess the modifiability of organisations. It includes questions and descriptors such as the below.
- To what extent do you view your organisation as a whole as open to genuine change in its organisational policies and procedures?
- To what extent do you think highly of the organisation and believe it to provide genuinely high-quality products or services to customers?
- There are new programs in the organisation, but people don't really understand them or why they work.
- The organisation is characterised by careful planning for improvement.
- Employees are willing to devote time and resources to improving the organisation and its products or services.