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The Nature of Change in Organizational Health Interventions: Some Observations and Propositions

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Salutogenic organizations and change

Abstract

Despite an accumulation of knowledge on organizational health interventions, theoretical integration and progress in the area still seems to be slow. This chapter is premised on the need to understand the nature and mechanisms of change in organizational health interventions, which can offer predictions on when change interventions will succeed or fail. To proactively manage change it is important to understand its properties and mechanisms. Indeed, latest research points to the pivotal role of process issues, or the ‘how’ and ‘why’ that need to be taken into account when implementing interventions. Here, we expand on this line of work by harvesting current knowledge and harnessing possible properties of change. Specifically, we examine the nature of change in organizational health interventions and the forces, at the fundamental level of the individual, that can facilitate the transition between before and after an intervention, and make some propositions on the possible mechanisms of change in organizational health interventions (i.e. relating to the dimensions, direction, levels, stakeholders, psychosocial mechanisms, and temporal patterns of change). In terms of mechanisms, we suggest a few (including diffusing, sharing, identifying, comparing, influencing, learning), based on well-established psychological theory. Summarizing and building on this knowledge, we offer six propositions on the nature of change in organizational health interventions. As such, we hope to stir discussion and theoretical progress in the area of organizational health interventions.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    We should note that although sustainability should be considered as a criterion for successful change and an important issue for organizational health interventions, sustainability is rarely addressed in research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Maria Karanika-Murray

  2. Department of Management, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada

    Caroline Biron

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  1. Maria Karanika-Murray
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  1. University of Zürich, Hirschengraben 84, Zürich, 8001, Switzerland

    Georg F. Bauer

  2. University of Zürich, Hirschenbgraben 84, Zürich, 8001, Switzerland

    Gregor J. Jenny

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Karanika-Murray, M., Biron, C. (2013). The Nature of Change in Organizational Health Interventions: Some Observations and Propositions. In: Bauer, G., Jenny, G. (eds) Salutogenic organizations and change. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6470-5_13

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