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A longitudinal qualitative case study of change in nonprofits: Suggesting a new approach to the management of change

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2016

David Rosenbaum ,
Elizabeth More  and
Peter Steane
David Rosenbaum*
Affiliation:
School of Business, Faculty of Law and Business, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
Elizabeth More
Affiliation:
AIM Business School, Australian Institute of Management, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Peter Steane
Affiliation:
School of Business, Faculty of Law and Business, Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, NSW, Australia
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
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Abstract

Existing change management models have been developed from research undertaken largely within the for-profit sector, with little reference to the unique challenges of the nonprofit sector. This article identifies a number of characteristics of change management that may be unique to the nonprofit sector. The research sought to understand change from the perspective of those within the sector who experienced it using Grounded Theory in a rich single case study as the methodology, applying an inductive reasoning approach to the development of theory. Results point to the impact of four key characteristics that require a more substantial focus in planned change models when applied to nonprofits. These include formal reflection for change agents and change recipients, development of trust, and confidence in the organisation before the actual change, focussing on the individual experience of change, and the sequencing of events from a planning perspective.

Keywords

planned organisational changenonprofitgrounded theorycase study
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 74 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2016 

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