Paradoxes, Mini‐worlds and Learning Processes: the dynamics of change in small companies

Abstract

In this article, we concentrate our discussion on dilemmas of change and elaborate themes like “substitutional change and company language”, “successful change does not lead to change” and “learning in context”. This article gives a brief resume of our action research for the period 1990‐1996 and what we learned about companies trying to change. Earlier research points to more contextual and cultural forms of rationality. In order to understand change processes we need to understand the frontline actor in context. This article analyses the necessity for organisations to work with and handle processes of stabilising change and, at the same time, handle natural forces trying to change stability; in other words, mutual processes of planned change and adaptation. We use paradoxes and metaphors to facilitate our understanding of the dynamics of change. One field experience that stands out is that we have to find and discover change inside mini‐worlds, and that change is not only a matter of introduction. Another is that first‐order learning should be appreciated more. The study of change processes reveals paradoxes if we look closely enough and we believe that co‐operation and dialogue between researchers and company people can make the understanding of these dynamics easier.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Glenn Hultman

This paper was supported by grants from the National Institute for Working Life (formerly the Work Environment Fund) in Sweden, a project on Change Processes in Small Companies. We would also like to thank our anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.

Alger Klasson

This paper was supported by grants from the National Institute for Working Life (formerly the Work Environment Fund) in Sweden, a project on Change Processes in Small Companies. We would also like to thank our anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments.