TRANSFORMATION
How to distinguish it from a change?
The 21 of July 2025
Seen as a process, transformation in organizations is traditionally defined as an innovation, a change, or an evolution of the structures and functioning of the organization, affecting social relationships, skills, and routines (Bloch and Nabat, 2009). One definition of organizational change presents it as the development and strengthening of strategies, structures, and processes with the goal of improving organizational effectiveness (Waddell et al., 2011).
Rare organizations deliberately undertake an intentional and planned transformation with the aim to fall. Most often, the announcement of a transformation presents it as a highly positive endeavor, promising tangible benefits… soon. Thus, a change and a transformation essentially aim at improving effectiveness by modifying organizational reality. But how can we see clearly between words? It will be big and I have to prepare? Or it's just two or three collegues concern? Why in one case we talk about a transformation and in another about a change? Are we just playing with words, or do we simply want to emphasize that the transformation will take more time? How can we tell the two apart? I suggest a very simple tool to help make things clearer.
Look at two things: the goal (objectif) of your change project and its scope (envergure) in the organization.
Most of the changes aim to adapt the organization to a new requirement by modifying work processes. They touch the way things are done, ones that don’t question neither the unit’s mandate nor the organization’s mission. So, the goal is limited (objectif réduit). If it happens to be that the scope of the change is also limited, it only affects one department or one administrative unit, we can talk about Adaptation. The person in charge of the department can deal with it because his team is concerned, and it’s only the operations of that department are impacted. It's change management situation (gestion du changement).
If the goal of the change is limited, still aiming at corrective, adaptive, or adjustment actions, but its scope is large as that initiatives are impacting more then one department, we are in presence of multiple changes management (gestion des changements multiples). In this case, several areas of the organization are affected by the need to adapt their work processes. Several managers have to handle these changes. Usually, it requires a coordination among these managers by a separate structure dedicated to plan and implement communication and other actions. Even though this type of scope might seem big because it can include several projects or initiatives, it’s still considered limited since its nature is adaptive.
However, the if the goal is big as it aims the whole organization, its a developpement sphere. In this case, the changes to be implemented go beyond just adjusting work processes and have important impacts. We can see restructurations that bring effects, approaches, products, or services that weren’t there before these changes were implemented. Several sectors are affected, the mandates of some units are modified, but the scope remains limited. Inspite the aim of developing the organization, we are still in multiple changes management.
Finally, if we are in a development sphere, there are many innovational initiatives are implemented, the goal is big and the scope is large, because it is deployed across the entire organization, it’s about organizational transformation. All departments are affected, the mandates of the units are reviewed, and the very mission of the organization is questioned.
An organizational transformation can not be managed by just one person or a group of managers. It requires strong leadership from top management and a coordinated work of the entire structure. Why? We know that an organization is made up of tangible elements (resources, policies and procedures, certain processes, etc.) and intangible elements (culture, understanding of right and wrong, behavior and communication styles, etc.). Since a transformation changes the strategic levels that are vital for an organization, no single area can be enough to carry it out on its own. As the vital part of the organization is restructured, the tangible and intangible components of the organization are gradually replaced. We are talking about its mission, moral and ethical code, structure (how resources are allocated and used, decision-making processes), culture (promoted values, behaviors that are encouraged or discouraged, communication style), as well as the expertise and know-how of the people.
Obviously, that goal and that scope extension ask for a different approaches and a power leadership to plan ahead, calculate the risks and gather all necessary resources to handle a transformation.
To quote Exemple APA — Source Internet
Klimenko, Y. (2025, juillet 21). Transformation, STAV Services Conseils Transformation
Biblliography
Bloch, A. & Nabat, E. (2009). Pérennité organisationnelle et transformation : Concilier l’inconciliable ? Revue française de gestion, 192, 113-126. https://www.cairn.info/revue--2009-2-page-113.htm., en ligne https://www.cairn.info/revue-francaise-de-gestion-2009-2-page-113.htm#:~:text=Vue%20comme%20un%20processus%2C%20la,savoir-faire%20et%20les%20routines
Waddell, D.M., Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G. (2011), Organizational Change: Development and Transformation, Asia Pacific, 4th ed., Cengage, South Melbourne.
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