Emergent Change


The concept provides a description of the emergent change process, the type of change that is not in an organisation's agenda - it simply manifests in our social systems when the underlying components have achieved a new order that give way to new behaviours.

Technique Overview

Emergent Change

Emergent Change Definition

Emergent change is based on the assumption that change is a continuous, open-ended and unpredictable process of aligning and realigning an organisation to its changing environment (Burnes, 2009).

Emergent Change Description *

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Business Evidence

Strengths, weaknesses and examples of Emergent Change *

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Business Application

Implementation, success factors and measures of Emergent Change *

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Professional Tools

Emergent Change videos and downloads *

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Further Reading

Emergent Change web and print resources *

Emergent Change references (4 of up to 20) *

  • Blomme,R.J. (2012) Leadership, Complex Adaptive Systems, and Equivocality: The Role of Managers in Emergent Change. Organization Management Journal 9:1, 4-19.
  • Burnes, B. (2004) Emergent Change and Planned Change – Competitors or Allies? The Case of XYZ Construction. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, Vol. 24(9), pp. 886-902.
  • Burnes, B. (2009) Managing Change. (5th Ed.) Pearson Education, Essex, UK.
  • Carnall, C.A. (2003) Managing Change in Organizations. (4th Ed.) Financial Times/Prentice Hall, Harlow.

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