Organizational change as tension management: a grounded theory

Abstract

PurposeImplementing automatic sorting operations in the parcel delivery industry can dramatically improve both capacity and service quality but demands radical and complex organizational change. The present in-depth grounded theory study examined a change process of this kind within one of the few global companies in the parcel delivery sector, focusing on three European hubs where automatic sorting had recently been introduced.Design/methodology/approachGrounded theory methodology, which facilitates the gradual emergence and dialogical interpretation of empirically grounded theoretical concepts, was particularly suited to the current project's open-ended research design and the hybrid (prescriptive but also constructive) nature of the change process under study. The investigation comprised iterative cycles of data collection, open coding, selective coding and theoretical coding over a three-year period.FindingsIn keeping with the dual nature of the change underway, a set of tensions were identified between pairs of opposite poles: manual vs automated, planned vs emergent and corporate vs site. The management of these tensions, which leveraged both prescriptive and sensemaking approaches, was found to trigger knowledge production, facilitating a gradual transition from high to low uncertainty and, consequently, progressive movement along the continuum between each pair of competing poles. Within this process, the industrial engineering function acted as an agent of change with a key orchestrating role.Originality/valueAs one of the first in-depth grounded theory analyses of tension management, this study contributes to the relatively recent debate on the recognition, analysis and handling of tensions and paradoxes in organizational change, suggesting innovative criteria for successful change management and identifying promising new avenues for research. From a managerial perspective, the study outcomes suggest that explicit recognition of uncertainty and tensions in organizational change can pave the way for solutions based on agility and continuous organizational learning.

Endogenous Perception on Tonnage Tax Implementation: An Exploratory Study on Nigerian Shipping-Taxation

“…Similar to many prior studies (e.g Ghiringhelli & Virili, 2020;Santos et al, 2017;Schumacher et al, 2016;Wolf et al, 2018), this study also found that the human resource element play pivotal role on change implementation processes, especially on tonnage tax implementation in Nigeria. To enable effective and efficient implementation, employees should be empowered to work as a team, necessary training should be provided for them so that the required knowledge on policy change or innovative idea can be easily embraced (Wolf et al, 2018).…”

“…Furthermore, the study selected few participants who were considered knowledgeable in international taxation and shipping. On the premise of these, grounded theory data analysis technique become necessary to explore a detail understanding from the appropriate context for this study (Ghiringhelli & Virili, 2020;Modell et al, 2008).…”

“…Nigeria shipping sector was chosen to explore laggard's view on implementation challenges because the country still suffers a lot from fleet decline (Lazarus & Ukpere, 2011), most of her citizens with maritime related certificates are unemployed (Anele et al, 2016;Maku & Alimi, 2018). An exploratory study therefore become appropriate research design for getting first-hand information amongst experts in Nigeria shipping industry through interview (Ghiringhelli & Virili, 2020;Scales, 2013).…”

Strategic organizational changes: Adopting data‐driven decisions

“…Each organization should select the most appropriate organizational change implementation process, devote sufficient time to implementing necessary changes, and clarify each employee's role in the change (Scott‐Ladd & Chan, 2004). Moreover, management should do their homework by understanding the business environment, learning to prioritize to increase productivity and the process implementation and lower tension through experimentation, negotiation, and obtaining the new skills and knowledge required for a DDDM process adoption (Bustinza et al, 2018; Ghiringhelli & Virili, 2021; Watad, 2019).…”