An Approach to Change Management in Higher Education: Developed Country Perspective

Abstract

This article is an endeavour to show that organisational learning is linked to organisational performance in higher education sector. This study is the outcome of an exploratory research. It has reviewed literature related to change, followed by higher education in the United Kingdom, issues on change management and then it has explained different critical issues such as environment, organisational state, management style and approach to change and so on. These core issues seem to become even greater forces for organisational change within this sector. Having identified these issues, the study considers a form of organisation which, it is claimed, has a capacity for continuous change that enables it not only to adapt to, but also to anticipate, changes on the ‘learning organisation It then discusses the issue of what a learning organisation does, when it ‘learns ’ and, in particular, what different forms of learning this might entail. The study concludes with the argument that despite the challenge to create a situation where changes can be implemented to the maximum benefit of the institution with the lowest possible risk and cost, such a move cannot be effective without risk or cost, and the criticisms raised by organisation theorists are reviewed in this context.