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amani gera
Accountant, Egypt
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Loops and Mutual Causality in Organizational Change
As Gareth Morgan said in his book Images of the Organization: "We should think about change in terms of loops rather than lines and to replace the idea of mechanical causality with the idea of mutual causality". Does this make sense to you??
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Dolva, Australia
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Change Loops
Yes, dynamic processes are not linear / deconstructed. Also, while setting goals these SHOULD remain open so they can lead to further adaptation / evolution.
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David Wilson
Manager, Canada
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Change Loops or Change Spiral
Think of change loops as a spiral, the farther you move from the change the bigger the loop. See Deming (PDCA) or Spiral Dynamics by Cowan and Beck. As the organization develops the ability to change, the workforce will evolve and mature.
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Ray Henry
Manager, United Kingdom
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Change Loop
Yes, this is a thought tool and both lines and loops are applicable. First time through the change curve it seems like a line however when you've been through the change curve a few times, the loop analogy is equally apt.
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Ivy
Teacher, Netherlands
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Loops and Mutual Causality in Organizational Change
Agreed, in the context of organizational change, loops and mutual causality describe dynamic relationships that continuously influence one another, shaping the direction and outcomes of the change process.
- LOOPS
In organizational theory, loops refer to cycles of actions and reactions where a series of events leads back to the original cause, creating a feedback loop. These loops can be either reinforcing or balancing:
- Reinforcing Loops amplify changes. For instance, when an organization invests in innovation, successful projects increase morale, leading to even greater investment in innovation. This positive feedback loop pushes the organization further along a certain path.
- Balancing Loops counteract changes to maintain stability. If a new policy causes significant dissatisfaction among employees, they may resist the change, prompting management to reconsider or adapt the policy to regain stability.
Both types of loops are essential in organizational change, as they provide feedback that either encourages or moderates change, depending on the organization's goals and challenges. - MUTUAL CAUSALITY
- Definition: Mutual causality is a situation where two or more factors are interdependent, with each factor influencing and being influenced by the others. In organizational change, this means that cause and effect are not linear but cyclical.
- Example: If leadership fosters a culture of transparency, employee trust may increase, leading employees to communicate more openly. This open communication, in turn, encourages leadership to continue fostering transparency. Here, both leadership behavior and employee responses influence each other in a mutually causal relationship.
In essence, both loops and mutual causality shows that organizational change is rarely driven by a single cause or direction. Instead, various elements within an organization (such as policies, culture, leadership, and employee behavior) continually interact, creating complex webs of influence that shape the outcomes of change efforts.
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