Emile Durkheim and Organisational Change
Posted by Oliver Nyumbu
February 17th, 2009
When you consider the data on organisational change the facts are warrantedly depressing. Consider for example, the finding that only ten percent of all carefully formulated strategies are successfully implemented. Perhaps the words of the great sociologist Emile Durkheim have something to teach us:
“When mores are sufficient, laws are unnecessary.
When mores are insufficient, laws are unenforceable.”
This raises the need (when planning needed changes in your organisation) to consider how to get them deeply ingrained in the values, mindset, and skill set of individuals. Without this you might as well forget about it.
Source: J. Stewart Black & Hal B Gregersen (2008) It Starts With One
