Page 49 - DMGT520_ORGANIZATION_CHANGE_AND_DEVELOPMENT

Organization Change and Development

Notes Interventions directed toward these factors transform the organization and cause a permanent
change in organization culture, which produces changes in individual and organizational
performance. The above two figures together yield the full Burke-Litwin model shown in the
following figure. The top half of figure displays the factors involved in transformational change.
These factors are powerful enough to change the culture fundamentally. The bottom half of
figure displays the factors involved in transactional change. These factors are able to change the
climate. To summarize, Burke and Litwin propose that interventions directed toward leadership,
mission and strategy, and organization culture produce transformational change or fundamental
change in the organizations culture. Interventions directed toward management practices,
structure, and systems produce transactional change or change in organizational climate. Burke
says: Thus, there are two distinct sets of organizational dynamics. One set primarily is associated
with the transactional level of human behaviour or the everyday interactions and exchanges
that create the climate. The second set of dynamics is concerned with processes of human
transformation; that is, sudden “leaps” in behaviour; these transformational processes are required
for genuine change in the culture of an organization. We consider the Burke-Litwin model to be
a significant advance in thinking about planned change. The OD practitioner sizes up the change
situation, determines the kind of change required (transactional or transformational), and then
targets interventions toward factors of the organization that produce the desired change. Research
by Burke and his students suggests the model performs as intended.
Figure 3.11: The Burke Litwin Model of Organizational Performance and Change

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