Skip to main content
Log in

Examining the Institutional Transformation Process: The Importance of Sensemaking, Interrelated Strategies, and Balance

Research in Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study develops elements of a transformational change framework that is theoretically and empirically grounded and is context based through case studies of 6 institutions over a 4-year period. The 3 key findings include: (a) 5 core strategies for transformational change; (b) the characteristic that makes them the essential, sensemaking; and (c) the interrelationship among core and secondary strategies, the nonlinear process of change, and the need for balance among strategies. Two major conclusions are developed from the study findings: (a) the efficacy for researchers of combining multiple conceptual models for understanding change processes; and (b) the importance of social cognition models for future studies of transformational change based on the significance of sensemaking.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

REFERENCES

  • Bartunek, J. M. (1984). Changing interpretive schemes and organizational restructuring: The example of a religious order. Administrative Science Quarterly 29: 355-372.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bensimon, E., and Neumann, A. (1993). Redesigning Collegiate Leadership. Baltimore University: Johns Hopkins Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bergquist, W. H. (1992). The Four Cultures of the Academy: Insights and Strategies for Improving Leadership in Collegiate Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birnbaum, R. (1988). How Colleges Work. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birnbaum, R. (1992). How Academic Leadership Works: Understanding Success and Failure in the College Presidency. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolman, L. G., and Deal, T. E. (1991). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brill, P. L., and Worth, R. (1997). The Four Levers of Corporate Change. New York: American Management Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burns, B. (1996). Managing Change: A Strategic Approach to Organizational Dynamics. London: Pitman Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, K. S. (1991). Organizational adaptation and higher education. In M. Peterson (ed.), ASHE Reader on Organization and Governance in Higher Education, pp. 284-299. Needham Heights, MA: Ginn Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cameron, K. S., and Tschirhart, M. (1992). Postindustrial environments and organizational effectiveness in colleges and universities. Journal of Higher Education 63(1): 87-108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaffee, E. E. (1991). Three models of strategy. In M. Peterson (ed.), ASHE Reader on Organization and Governance in Higher Education, pp. 225-238. Needham Heights, MA: Ginn Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, B. R. (1995). Creating Entrepreneurial Universities: Organizational Pathways of Transformation. New York: IAU Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, M. D., and March, J. G. (1986). Leadership and Ambiguity, 2nd ed. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins, D. (1998). Organizational Change: Sociological Perspectives. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cowan, R. B. (1993). Prescription for small-college turnaround. Change 25(1): 30-39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Curry, B. (1992). Instituting enduring innovations: Achieving continuity of change in higher education. Washington, DC: ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report Series.

  • Dawson, P. (1994). Organizational Change: A Processual Approach. London: Paul Chapman Publishing, Ltd.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dill, D. D., and Sporn, B. (1995). University 2001: What will the university of the twenty-first century look like? In D. D. Dill and B. Sporn (eds.), Emerging Patterns of Social Demand and University Reform: Through a Glass Darkly, pp. 212-236. Tarrytown: IAU Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, R. G., & Nohria, N. (1992). Beyond the hype: Rediscovering the essence of management. Boston: Harvard Business School.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckel, P. D. (1998). How institutions discontinue academic programs: Making potentially adverse decisions in an environment of shared decision making. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckel, P., Hill, B., and Green, M. (1998). En Route to Transformation. On Change: Occasional Paper, No. 1. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckel, P., Hill, B., Green, M., and Mallon, B (1999). Taking Charge of Change: A Primer for Colleges and Universities. On Change Occasional Paper, No. 3. Washington, DC: American Council on Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Khawas, E. (1995) External review: Alternative models based on US experience. Higher Education Management 7(1): 39-48.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardenswartz, L., and Rowe, A. (1994). Diverse Teams at Work: Capitalizing on Power of Diversity. Chicago: Irwin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gioia, D. A., & Chittipeddi, K. (1991). Sensemaking and sensegiving in strategic change initiation. Strategic Management Journal, 12, 433-448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gioia, D. A., and Thomas, J. B. (1996). Identity, image, and issue interpretation: Sensemaking during strategic change in academia. Administrative Science Quarterly 41: 370-403.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gioia, D. A., Thomas, J. B., Clark, S. M., and Chittepeddi, K. (1996). Symbolism and strategic change in academia: The dynamics of sensemaking and influence. In J. R. Meindl, C. Stubbart, and J. F. Porac (eds.), Cognition Within and Between Organizations, pp. 207-244. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gumport, P. (1993). Contested terrain of academic program reduction. Journal of Higher Education 64(3): 283-311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guskin, A. E. (1994). Reducing Student Costs and Enhancing Student Learning. AGB Occasional Papers No. 27. Washington, DC: Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guskin, A. E. (1996). Facing the future: The change process in restructuring universities. Change 28(4): 27-37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hearn, J. C. (1996). Transforming U.S. higher education: An organizational perspective. Innovative Higher Education 21: 141-154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaiser, J. R., and Kaiser, P R. (1994). Persuasive messages to support planned change. College and University 69(2): 124-129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, C. (1984). Presidents Make a Difference: Strengthening Leadership in Colleges and Universities. Washington, DC: Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, C., and Gade, M. L. (1986). The Many Lives of Academic Presidents. Washington, DC: Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kezar, A., and Eckel, P. (in press, 2002). The effect of institutional culture on change strategies in higher education: Universal principles or culturally responsive concepts? The Journal of Higher Education.

  • Leslie, D., and Fretwell, E. K. (1996). Wise Moves in Hard Times. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Levy, A., and Merry, U. (1986). Organizational Transformation: Approaches, Strategies, Theories. New York: Praeger.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindquist, J. (1978). Strategies for Change. Berkeley, CA: Pacific Soundings.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lovett, C. (1993). To affect intimately the lives of the people: American professors and their society. Change 25(4): 26-37.

    Google Scholar 

  • March, J. G. (1994). A Primer on Decision Making: How Decisions Happen. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMahon, J., and Caret, R. (1997). Redesigning the faculty roles and rewards structure. Metropolitan Universities 7(4): 11-22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merriam, S. B. (1988). Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M. B., and Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Millar, S. (1993). Monological Innovation Versus Polylogical Improvement. State College, PA: Penn. State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Morgan, G. (1986). Images of Organization. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rajagopalan, N., and Spreitzer, G. M. (1996). Toward a theory of strategic change: A multi-lens perspective and integrated framework. Academy of Management Review 22(1): 48-79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramaley, J. (1995). Report on Assessment and Accountability. Portland: Portland State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reissman, C. (1993). Narrative Analysis. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, A. O., Wergin, J. F., and Adam, B. E. (1993). Institutional approaches to the issues of reward and scholarship. New Directions for Higher Education 81: 63-86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Senge, P. M. (1992). The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smircich, L. (1983). Organizations as shared meanings. In L. R. Pondy, P. J. Frost, G. Morgan, and T. C. Dandridge (eds.), Organizational Symbolism, pp. 55-65. Greenwich, CT: JAI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, D. T. (1993). The new view of biological evolution: Organizational applications to higher education. The Review of Higher Education 12(2): 141-156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sporn, B. (1999). Adaptive University Structures: An Analysis of Adaptation to Socioeconomic Environments of US and European Universities. Philadelphia: Francis and Taylor, Higher Education Policy Series 54.

    Google Scholar 

  • St. John, E. P. (1991). The transformation of private liberal arts colleges. The Review of Higher Education 15(1): 83-106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, A., and Koch, A. M. (1996). The cultural context for effective strategy. New Directions for Higher Education 94: 83-86.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J. B., Clark, S., and Gioia, D. A. (1993). Strategic sensemaking and organizational performance: Linkages among scanning, interpretation, action and outcomes. Academy of Management Journal 36: 239-270.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tierney, W., and Rhoads, R. (1993). Enhancing promotion, tenure and beyond: Faculty socialization as a cultural process. Washington, DC: ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Reports.

  • Van de Ven, A. H., and Poole, M. S. (1995). Explaining development and change in organizations. Academy of Management Review 20(3): 510-540.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, D. E. (1979). The Effective Administrator. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weick, K. E. (1979). The Social Psychology of Organizing, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in Organizations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R. K. (1994). Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adrianna Kezar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kezar, A., Eckel, P. Examining the Institutional Transformation Process: The Importance of Sensemaking, Interrelated Strategies, and Balance. Research in Higher Education 43, 295–328 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014889001242

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014889001242

Navigation