A Systemic View of Change Management and Its Conceptual Underpinnings

This paper presents a critical analysis of a systemic view of change managementand its conceptual underpinnings. It reflects upon the systemic view from perspectivesof modernism and postmodernism. The understandings so developed are thensynthesised in terms of structuration theory. It is argued that organisational changeis characterised by diversity and interactions, which necessitates a systemic approachusing multiple methods in one intervention. By making transparent the conceptualunderpinnings, it is shown that this systemic view can help build an improved understandingof organisational change characterised by diversity and interactions, andit can support the use of multiple methods to manage organisational change in oneintervention.