The Dynamics of Chronic Failure: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Over a 25-year period, due to its continued under-performance, repeated efforts were made to reduce the costs and refocus the efforts of a regional office of a national agency. Eventually these efforts resulted in the office being effectively eliminated. This article argues that the processes used during organization change efforts were so flawed that they actually accentuated chronic failure. Even with highly dedicated professional staff and the desire to properly spend public money, an organization can fail in the institutional domain while still protesting and pursuing success in the client domain.