Momentum Essential To Strategic Change According To Study By Penn State Smeal College of Business Professor
Large-scale organizational changes cannot be successful without the support of momentum, which according to a new study by Karen J. Jansen of Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business is not a mysterious entity that comes and goes on its own accord, but a measurable force that can be created, harnessed, and maintained via certain actions and behaviors within organizations.
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (February 18, 2004) – Large-scale organizational changes cannot be successful without the support of momentum, which according to a new study by Karen J. Jansen of Penn State University’s Smeal College of Business is not a mysterious entity that comes and goes on its own accord, but a measurable force that can be created, harnessed, and maintained via certain actions and behaviors within organizations.
"From Persistence to Pursuit: A Longitudinal Examination of Momentum During the Early Stages of Strategic Change," which is forthcoming in the journal Organization Science, provides evidence that successful change initiatives depend initially on clear and passionate communication from leaders to members of the organization to spark momentum, which then propagates into the ranks of the organization where perceptions of the announced change are shared and discussed.
As support for the change grows and the organization progresses toward achieving its goal, follow-up events to convey progress and reaffirm the importance of the initiative infuse additional momentum into the process.
“Leaders must learn to be energy managers when attempting to implement change,” said Jansen, assistant professor of management. “In contrast to the adage ‘no news is good news’ when trying to maintain momentum, the more effective approach may be ‘the more relevant news the better,’ and managers should consider this in timing announcements and pacing activities to sustain a threshold level of momentum.”
Other practical implications to emerge from the study include an acknowledgement that individuals do not have unlimited energy to devote toward pursuing change initiatives, and therefore too many alternative demands can detract from a project’s momentum. Also, because momentum is short-termed, leaders are better served by focusing attention on progress achieved in the recent time period versus the overall progress made toward project completion.
To arrive at her conclusions, Jansen collected both qualitative and quantitative data from participants in a leader-initiated culture change at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point during a 10-month period in 1997. Striving to move from a culture that promoted class-based differences and poor treatment of subordinates to one that emphasized unit-based relationships and strong leadership, the academy was seeking to alter certain traditions that emphasized class inequality.
The challenge for West Point leaders was to generate initial awareness and support for the changes among cadets and then continue to grow that support into the future, thereby making the overall transition as smooth and effective as possible. Jansen tracked the effectiveness of change-related events, the shared perceptions and interaction among cadets, and the impact of momentum on the progress being made.
About the Author
Karen Jansen’s research broadly explores the process and impact of change on an organization's employees. Her ongoing momentum research focuses on identifying momentum triggers and how momentum trends influence individual attitudes and behavior. She is also interested in the evolution of employee fit with various aspects of the work environment. Jansen teaches courses on strategic human resource management, change, and research methods at Penn State’s Smeal College of Business, and she also advises a student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management.
Jansen can be reached at 814-863-0430 or kjansen@psu.edu.
