The Effects of Organizational Restructuring on Frames of Reference and Cooperation

Abstract

Organizational researchers have distinguished between first order change (improvements within already acceptedframeworks) and second order change (discontinuous shifts in frameworks). These types of change, when assessed quantitatively, have been labeled "alpha" and "'gamma" change. The study reported in this paper investigated an organizational restructuring attempt to achieve a first order (alpha) increase in cooperation and a second order (gamma) change in organization members' understanding of factors associated with importance in the organization. The restructuring process studied was an internal merger in a religious order. Results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that both types of change occurred.