This book challenges the practice or organizational change programmes. It uses two case studies in depth to illustrate that consulting companies can often get it wrong. Senior managers often do not know enough about managing change. The text is arranged around eight deadly sins to avoid in the practice of change: self-deception of the change agents rather than self-awareness; destruction of the identity of the organization caused by arrogance; especially of the large consulting companies; destruction of cohesion; gobbledygook language; concentrating on structural change, not behavioural change; making the organization worse, not better; the intelligence in resistance; and the deep trauma of redundancy.


The author's main objective is to get academics and practitioners to stop and think about what they are doing when they work with organizations. Organizational Change in Practice will be of interest to business professionals seeking to understand how change can impact their organization as well as organizational consultants.