Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

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Within the conceptual framework it was assumed that an understanding of the type of organisation the
presented research took place in would be important. Handy’s conceptualisation of organisational cultures
(Chapter IV, section 1ab) which has been extrapolated to an organisational typology, presents one such
understanding of the various types of organisation. It is clear from Figure 7 that the participating organisation fits
the profile of the Role Culture, in which clear layers of management and staff are visible within the organisation.
This understanding of organisational typology was important. For example, Handy’s conceptualisation (Brown,
1998) made it clear that a number of layers of management gatekeepers would need to be worked with before
access to staff was gained for the bottom-up process. Therefore throughout the presented research it was
necessary to work with management, creating engagement in the process, in order to ensure successful outcomes
with the work.
Handy’s typology also claims that the organisation would struggle to work with change which was attempted
to be implemented too quickly (Brown, 1998). Therefore an understanding as to the method of information and
data dissemination to potential participants prior to data collection was taken into consideration. As such it was
decided early on in the AI process that giving too much information about the proposed process could put off
employees from taking part, possibly confusing individuals and having them assume that too much was being
asked of them (indeed this is reflected in Appendix 14, which reflects upon an attempt to use an Action Research
methodology as the original change methodology). Information was therefore outsourced slowly and phase-byphase
to individuals, rather than giving too much information at the start of the process.
Modern organisations exist within a dynamic environment in which changes may occur at a rapid pace.
Learning organisations are those which are best at responding to, and learning from, both success and challenges.