| This study focuses the lens of complex systems science (CSS) on the widely varying experiences of interventionary change in organizations. Two very different types of organizations are studied. Instances of attempted Total Quality Management-type change at both the organizational and project levels in each firm are analyzed, with one attempt successful, the other not. The complex adaptive system model of CSS, and two of its lower level constructs: attractors and patching, are applied metaphorically to analyze the change experiences of the two organizations. The analysis emphasizes the essential role of communicative interaction in the natural dynamics of social change. The CSS focus offers new analytical insights into the unpredictable nature of organizational change processes, and suggests the potential aid such insights might offer. Implications for theory and practice in the application of complex systems science to organizational theory, with an emphasis on communication, are discussed, and areas for further research are suggested. |
