Developing a soft systems solution for enhancing and managing change in organisations

This thesis addresses problems associated with organisational change and seeks to provide insights into the application of soft systems methodology to identify change levers that can facilitate change. Businesses face change drivers with ever increasing pressure and frequency from economic, social and environmental sources. Most change processes involve cultural change that takes time and are fraught with barriers and social resistance. A process that can facilitate timely change and enables the establishment of a mutual accommodation in the hearts and minds of the participants can be of significant value.

The identification of points of high yield of experience and learning characterised as change levers, can facilitate this timely and supportive approach to change.

Soft systems methodology has been used extensively in researching complex and messy problems in poorly defined social systems where previously unseen issues and values have been identified. It is used to facilitate a shared experience, which leads to understanding among the stakeholders. However, a gap exists in the application of soft systems methodology in identifying change levers. This research is used to address and identify these change levers.

A qualitative research methodology is adopted using interviews of managers and participants in a range of organisations either undergoing change or where change has recently taken place. Issues identified from the research are presented graphically in models that help to identify potential points of leverage. The research also offered an opportunity to apply soft systems methodology to a situation where coercive change was evident. Interpretive analysis is applied to the findings to draw conclusions.

The research demonstrates that a full exploration of underlying resistive elements can be used to reach a mutual accommodation of other participants’ worldview, so leveraging the change process. By involving the participants in the creative development of a conceptual future also optimises the transformation process by introducing a new paradigm of engagement in the change process.