This paper examines organizational change, focusing on the distinction of changes according to their scope and presenting a typology of evolutionary and strategic changes. It also offers an in‐depth study of resistance to change. Through empirical research, the paper analyzes the importance of the sources of resistance to change defined theoretically, and considers both types of changes. The article shows which sources of resistance differ most, according to the scope of change, offering hints about where organizations should pay special attention when initiating a change process.

This article deals with the institutional theory and isomorphism, from the processes of organizational change in higher education institutions. In a first phase, we analyze, through a questionnaire, the situations and causes of change in higher education institutions (HEI), more precisely in the field knowledge of Physical Education in Colombia. Afterwards, through a multiple case study, we analyze both the pressures of the environment that force HEI to change and the types of isomorphism. The results show the existence of the three types of isomorphism in a process of change where the National and Institutional governments exert coercive pressures. Other HEIs in similar situations exert mimic isomorphism while Specialized groups within HEIs, exert normative isomorphism.

Purpose: This paper aims to deal with the influence of a participatory management style along a change process, specifically in seeking to analyze the effect of participative management style on resistance to change and its effects on change performance.Design/methodology/approach: After a revision of previous literature, an empirical research is presented to test the existence and signs of the relationships between participation and organizational change. To measure the main concepts, the authors have used scales and other measures already published and through a correlation analysis gain some insight into the relationships among variables.Findings: Data suggest that participative management might be giving the members of the organization the necessary tools to question aspects that could endanger changes, thus considering participation as a knowledge broker that sheds light along the change process through the increase of resistance to change sources.Research limitations/implications: The main limitation is the reduced sample, as well as the fact that answers are provided by a single respondent.Practical implications: This research might help practitioners to look at resistance to change from a positive point of view, therefore, participation might be considered a tool to show potential weaknesses and help change agents to improve change outcomes.Originality/value: The paper supports the literature that considers resistance to change positively. Moreover, it provides some hints as to what kind of sources of resistance to change are more important depending on the typology of the change itself.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to show a real experience of how a scheme of continuous improvement has been gradually transformed, from a very unsuccessful start, passing through different phases and finally delivering results for the firm. Design/methodology/approach – The authors analyse the evolution of the formal programs of continuous improvement of a firm in a traditional sector (food). The data for the research were gathered by means of participatory observation over the course of 18 months spent in the firm attending the meetings of the improvement teams. Findings – Both programs (individual and group) have proved to be very profitable for the company. However, there is no magic formula for the correct operation of the system of continuous improvement. The existing system has to be continually improved, correcting faults and trying always to contribute something new to re-launch the system regularly. Practical implications – This study has also permitted the authors to highlight the importance of continuous improvement in the firm from both the economic point of view and that of worker development. Originality/value – The investigation aims to help to cover the lack of longitudinal case studies of continuous improvement.

This paper aims to contribute to the empowerment literature by providing a concrete definition of the topic and thus a way of measuring the empowerment level in organisations. The tool designed to measure empowerment – resulting from the previous theoretical definition – has been proved to be a scale, fulfilling the necessary properties: reliability and validity. It has been tested on a sample of Spanish firms, concluding that it follows a Normal distribution, whereas 20 per cent of the companies apply a less participative style and 20 per cent could be described as empowered. Measuring empowerment not only serves to know how many companies use empowerment practices but also can be used to delve deeper into relationships between empowerment levels and other managerial concepts, such as the effects of empowerment on organisational change, on quality, or even on organisational performance.