Deregulation, globalization, technological advances and social pluralism are forces that are shaking up the business world and putting increased pressure on both management and staff. Companies must constantly strive to cut costs, streamline operations, rethink their products and services and find ways to add value for the end user. They often find themselves caught up in an interminable cycle of reinventing themselves to be able to keep up with the ever-growing competition, reinforce their own relevance and ensure their long-term sustainability. The pace of change is constantly accelerating, rendering structures and practices obsolete shortly after they are rolled out and thus making renewal an ongoing challenge.
Successful change requires true commitment from all those involved. Paradoxically, however, because change can modify expectations and perceptions of roles, responsibilities and practices, it can actually undermine this commitment. Bearing this in mind, which management practices can help optimize change? How can every subsystem be aligned and every individual be transformed into an agent of change with a thorough understanding of what is to be done and the ability to develop the necessary skills to make a real and lasting contribution?
