My research examines the implementation of organizational change and the creation/use of knowledge. I am particularly interested in understanding how taken-for-granted cultural systems shape these phenomena. As an interpretive researcher, I go into the field to collect qualitative data on people’s experiences - their daily actions, events and interpretations in fostering change, sustaining continuity and developing knowledge. Through this research I seek to generate new lines of sight that (re)shape theoretical conversations and enhance individual and group efforts to enact positive change in work settings.

During the past three years, I have had the opportunity to build and collaborate with a team of researchers and decision makers in investigating organizational change in the Canadian health care sector.

We have received multi-year funding to study initiatives in altering provider relationships and restructuring organizational units, areas of change that have great impact on health care workers. Specific initiatives include the introduction and institutionalization of the nurse practitioner role, recently introduced in Canada; the implementation of a provincially-mandated policy change in continuing care for the disabled and elderly; the introduction of a new regional strategy in primary health care; and the restructuring of health regions. Our website on organizational change, which describes our research and team and also presents resources for managers on sustaining change, can be found at http://www.bus.ualberta.ca/hos. As a team, we have reflected on our investigations, and also on our ongoing collaborations in creating knowledge about organizational change. We have co-written an article (#1) that begins to articulate what we are learning in and about such collaborations.

Our recent research has disclosed some intriguing and distinctive approaches to implementing change. We are calling these cases ‘positively deviant’ since the change initiatives seem to be working – new care delivery practices, ideas and organizing efforts are being initiated, implemented, sustained and embraced by a variety of people in different positions and at various organizational levels. We are examining these cases to understand questions such as: What constitutes such efforts in change? How do people alter care delivery practices? How do they negotiate and reinterpret identities in these initiatives? What are the processes of significance to people in these situations? Our data analyses are disclosing ways of implementing change that are far more active and nuanced than prevailing notions of securing buy in, resisting change, or creating a sense of urgency would suggest.

The people in these cases are connected in their parallel though separate actions to achieve new roles and ways of providing service. They are creative as they capitalize upon, and possibly generate, what we are calling “consequential moments” that make a difference in sustaining change and continuity. They are purposeful in their attempts to turn energy-draining situations into energy-creating ones as they recognize pragmatic realities and focus on developmental possibilities in them.

They are navigating new terrain as they seek to be open to change in significant organizational restructuring while hoping to preserve key identities and practices that form the foundation of their positive organizing efforts. In conducting the interpretive analysis work on these cases, I am collaborating with Trish Reay (faculty member at U of Alberta) and Kathy GermAnn (doctoral student at the U of Alberta). We are learning much and enjoying the process! Currently, we have one paper in development on organizing practices in change, and two papers on introducing and institutionalizing the nurse practitioner role: one currently in review (#2), and another one that has been selected for the Best Paper Proceedings at the upcoming 2003 Academy of Management conference in Seattle (#3).

#1 Golden-Biddle, Reay, Petz, Witt, et al. “Toward a view of research collaboration as communicative endeavor: The case of the researcher-decision maker partnership”. Forthcoming, Journal of Health Services Research and Policy.

#2 Reay, Golden-Biddle, and GermAnn. “Challenges and leadership strategies for managers of nurse practitioners.” In second review.

#3 Reay, Golden-Biddle and GermAnn, 2003. “How nurse practitioners and middle managers are acting to create work role changes.” Best Paper Proceedings, Academy of Management Seattle Conference.he positive consequences of guilt and its interaction with empathy. WE also compared how Dutch and Philippine salespeople differ in their responses to shame, finding negative consequences for the former, positive consequences for the latter.