What Is Organisational Change?
Organisational Change is the process of reshaping how an enterprise works, from its strategy and structures to its culture and ways of working, so it can stay aligned with its goals and thrive in a dynamic and sometimes uncertain world. A clear definition of organisational change is crucial because it shapes how leaders plan, resource, and manage change.
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Literature Definitions
When researching organisational change, one can encounter several definitions throughout the internet and in the literature. Here are a few notable definitions and their sources:
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Harvard Business School Online
Harvard Business School Online (HBSO), the digital learning platform of Harvard Business School, offers interactive, case-based courses designed to deliver the school’s prestigious business education to learners worldwide. According to HBSO, organisational change refers to:
“The actions in which a company or business alters a major component of its organization, such as company culture, the underlying technologies or infrastructure it uses to operate, or its internal processes.”
It further defines Organisational Change Management as:
“The process of guiding organizational change to a successful resolution.”
However, a criticism of HBSO’s definition is its focus solely on significant components of the organisation. This blog, daschange.info, suggests that a comprehensive definition of organisational change should also include Developmental Change.
What Is Organizational Change Management? | HBS Online (Retrieved 29 May 2025)
Chartered Management Institute
The Chartered Management Institute is the UK’s leading professional body for management and leadership, dedicated to improving the quality and standards of leadership in organisations. The Chartered Management Institute defines managing change as:
“Accomplishing a transition from position A to position B and handling any problems which come up during the process. The process of change within organisations usually results from interactions between four major elements: equipment (technology); processes (working procedures); organisation structure; and people. Change to any one of these will inevitably lead to changes to the others, as organisations are complex inter-related systems.”
Change Management – CMI (Retrieved 29 May 2025)
Change Management Institute
The Change Management Institute is a global, independent, not-for-profit association dedicated to advancing the discipline of change management. Interestingly, the Change Management Institute does not provide a specific definition for organisational change. Instead, it offers a narrower definition of change management to the two sources above, stating it as:
“A domain of principles and practices that enable stakeholders of change to adopt the mindsets, behaviours and capabilities required for that change to deliver full business value. It focuses on people.”
This definition can be traced back to the false binary dichotomy of “Change Management” versus “Project Management,” which was adopted in the 1990s by a proprietary methodology for its own purposes.
This blog, daschange.info, fully acknowledges the importance of facilitating people’s transitions to new ways of working in response to organisational change. It uses the term Change Engagement to refer to this aspect of organisational change.
What is Change Management? – Change Management Institute (Retrieved 29 May 2025)
A Holistic Definition Of Organisational Change And Organisational Change Management
This blog, daschange.info, builds on the Harvard Business School Online definition. The blog defines organisational change in the private sector as follows:
“Organisational Change in the private sector refers to the process of adjusting or reshaping facets of the organisational ecosystem, including its business model, value chain, operating model, and culture. This process ensures alignment with and the capability to deliver on the organisation’s strategy.”
And correspondingly:
“Organisational Change Management is a structured approach that helps an organisation transition from its current state to a more strategically aligned state. It guides the necessary adjustments to the organisational ecosystem, and ways of working, while also engaging people to adopt and sustain new behaviours.”
A Construct For Organisational Change
These definitions are encapsulated in the construct illustrated in Exhibit 1.
At the core of this construct are the strategy, the framework of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), and the evolving organisational ecosystem. Together, these components illustrate how an organisation transitions from its current, often less-than-ideal state to a more optimised state that is better aligned with its goals.
At first glance at the construct, it may seem that organisational change is strictly a top-down process, moving in a direct line from strategy to execution.
However, in reality, change is much more dynamic. Whilst strategy provides the overall direction, the methods that bring it to life heavily rely on insights and needs identified at the operational level. This is where cascading frameworks of OKRs play a crucial role, ensuring that each business function interprets the strategy within its own context and translates it into clear time-bound objectives.
Organisational Change Management At The Portfolio Level, Initiative Level And Individual Level
The construct outlined above illustrates that organisational change is not a one-time event but a layered process that must be managed at multiple levels: portfolio, initiative, and individual. Each level serves a distinct purpose, yet they are interconnected, creating a system where alignment is essential.
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At The Portfolio Level
Organisational Change Management at the portfolio level focuses on selecting, prioritising, and sequencing initiatives in alignment with the enterprise’s strategy. It involves balancing the ongoing needs of the business with the imperative for change, all while recognising that resources are limited and that change fatigue is a genuine concern. Portfolio-level management offers oversight, enabling leaders to make necessary trade-offs, adjust course when strategies evolve, and ensure that the collection of initiatives effectively guides the enterprise towards a well-tuned ecosystem.
At The Initiative Level
At the initiative level, Organisational Change Management focuses on the structured delivery of specific outcomes. Each initiative aims to address particular gaps within the organisational ecosystem, whether in processes, culture, technology, or capabilities. The role of change management in this context is to guide these initiatives from design to implementation, ensuring they align with the overall strategy and engage stakeholders effectively. At this level, clarity regarding scope, sequencing, and benefits realisation is critical, as achieving incremental wins helps to build credibility and momentum.
At The Individual Level
Ultimately, organisational change succeeds only when individuals adjust their mindsets, behaviours, and ways of working. Change management here means equipping people with the understanding, skills, and support to transition successfully. This is where “change engagement” plays a vital role — ensuring that employees not only accept but also sustain new practices. Without this human adoption, even the most well-designed initiatives risk falling short of delivering their intended value.
In short, Organisational Change Management must operate across all three levels simultaneously: steering at the portfolio level, structuring at the initiative level, and embedding at the individual level. The alignment between these layers ensures that strategy is delivered not just on paper, but in the lived reality of the enterprise.
Role Of The Enterprise Change Office
This blog, daschange.info, introduces the concept of an Enterprise Change Office (ECO). This function serves as the central hub for managing and coordinating change within an enterprise. The ECO adopts a comprehensive perspective on all initiatives, ensuring that the collective efforts of change are strategically aligned, well-sequenced, and sustainable.
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At The Portfolio Level
At the portfolio level, the ECO provides visibility across the full landscape of initiatives, enabling leadership to balance resources, manage risks, and avoid duplication. It ensures that change investments collectively move the organisation toward its strategic goals rather than pulling in competing directions.
At The Initiative Level
At the initiative level, the ECO provides frameworks, tools, and guidance to ensure each change initiative effort is delivered in a structured and consistent way that aligns with organisational priorities and governance. The ECO also acts as an advisory partner to the initiative teams.
At The Individual Level
At the individual level, the ECO supports the human aspect of change by embedding practices that engage employees, build capability, and sustain adoption. It recognises that successful transformation is not only about systems and processes but also about shifting mindsets and behaviours.
In this way, the ECO acts as a bridge between strategy and execution, ensuring that organisational change is implemented as a cohesive effort rather than as disjointed attempts.
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