Change and the management of change have become some of the most urgently discussed topics of our time. Yet despite this, very few change management practices are premised on a thorough understanding of the change phenomenon and its costly impact.

Organisational change: theory and practice is based on the philosophy that a deeper understanding of change and its consequences is necessary to constructively manage change in organisations. The book recognises that change at the individual level is inextricable from change at the organisational level. The reader is encouraged to apply insights and principles gained from the book to both personal and work contexts.

The book has been developed around the why of change (change as a phenomenon), the what of change (a review of change paradigms; early and contemporary concepts of change; process perspectives; the experience and impact of change) and the how of change engagement and management. It sensitises the reader to the everyday implications of the multifaceted nature of change. In the final chapter, different perspectives on change and transformation are related to change levers and triggers, change management models, formulae and success factors, challenges of implementation, and guidelines for purposefully engaging with change in organisations.

Organisational change will be of great value to the advanced student, human resource practitioner, consultant or line manager who needs a deeper understanding of the change phenomenon and its impact, and to all who have to contend with significant change at work or home, or who are instrumental in bringing about change in a specific organisational or societal context.