In e na ional Jou nal o Business and Managemen ; Vol. 10, No. 5; 2015
ISSN 1833-3850 E-ISSN 1833-8119
Published by Canadian Cen e o Science and Educa ion
44
C ea ing Ma ke O ien a ion in a P o essional High-Tech O ganiza ion
Helena Lambe g1 & Elina Nä änen1
1 School o Managemen , Uni e si y o Tampe e, School o Managemen , Tampe e, Finland
Co espondence: Elina Nä änen, Uni e si y o Tampe e School o Managemen , A5006, FI-33014, Uni e si y
o Tampe e, Finland. Tel: 358-405-968-884. E-mail: Elina.na anen@u a. i
Recei ed: Feb ua y 28, 2015 Accep ed: Ma ch 18, 2015 Online Published: Ap il 20, 2015
doi:10.5539/ijbm. 10n5p44 URL: h p://dx.doi.o g/10.5539/ijbm. 10n5p44
Abs ac
Despi e he con inuous academic in e es owa d he concep o ma ke o ien a ion, he e is s ill a need o
esea ch ha explo es how i is implemen ed in o ganiza ions. This s udy is based on an inqui y o a global,
p o essional high- ech o ganiza ion. The me hodology o he s udy is ac ion esea ch which enables a close
access o da a and an inside ’s pe spec i e combined wi h heo e ical ele ance and analy ical igo . We analyze
he p ocess o implemen ing ma ke o ien a ion in he case o ganiza ion and as a esul , p esen a s age model.
Th ough da a analysis, we iden i y ou s ages: 1) ini ia ion o change, 2) building commi men , 3) building
unde s anding h ough ins i u ionaliza ion and 4) main enance. The s udy con ibu es by inc easing heo e ical
insigh on he c ea ion o ma ke o ien a ion wi h a eal empi ical case ha has been s udied longi udinally. The
s udy has implica ions o heo y and p ac ice, yielding also me hodological insigh s o s udying he
implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion in he u u e.
Keywo ds: ac ion esea ch, longi udinal, ma ke o ien a ion
1. In oduc ion
Ma ke o ien a ion has been a widely and ex ensi ely s udied concep in he li e a u e o e he pas decades
(Kohli & Jawo ski 1990; Na e & Sla e 1990; Déshpande e al., 1993; Kennedy, Goolsby, & A nould. 2003;
S ong & Ha is, 2004; Remli, Wan Daud, Zainol, & Muhammad, 2013). The e is signi ican e idence ha
becoming ma ke o ien ed is bene icial and s a egically impo an o o ganiza ions (Kuma , Sub amanian, &
Yauge , 1998; Sla e & Na e , 2000; Rod iguez-Cano, Ca illa , & Ja amillo, 2004; Shoham, Rose, & K opp,
2005; Ellis, 2006). Acco ding o a summa y de ini ion, “ma ke o ien ed o ganiza ions a e o ganiza ions ha a e
well in o med abou he ma ke and ha ha e he abili y o use ha in o ma ion ad an age o c ea e supe io
alue o hei a ge cus ome s” (Van Raaij & S oelho s , 2008). Howe e , he li e a u e is s ill ela i ely silen
on he implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion, e en hough he e ha e been epea ed calls o such esea ch (e.g.,
Day 1994; Jawo ski & Kohli, 1996; Van Raaij & S oelho s , 2008; Saa ijä i, Kuusela, Neilimo, & Nä änen,
2014). A heo e ical e iew o he li e a u e conce ning ma ke o ien a ion implemen a ion a gues ha he
li e a u e gi es a agmen ed and complex iew which is no easily ansla ed o manage ’s use (Van Raaij &
S oelho s , 2008). Hence, he e is a p essing need o s udies o e ing adequa e desc ip ions o implemen a ion
p ocesses and conc e e ad ice o managemen on how o implemen ma ke o ien a ion.
One eason o he lack o s udies on he implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion may be ha s udying he p ocess
o implemen a ion wi hin o ganiza ions is di icul , ime-consuming and equi es ex ensi e access. Me hods ha
gene a e “snapsho s” o o ganiza ional ac i i ies do no necessa ily allow o he depic ion o analysis o a
complex change p ocess owa d ma ke o ien a ion. To unde s and complex p ocesses ha ake ime, esea che s
need o ha e an ex ensi e access o he o ganiza ion in ques ion and be able o con inue in es iga ing he p ocess
holis ically.
The pu pose o his s udy is o analyze he p ocess o implemen ing ma ke o ien a ion in a p o essional
high- ech o ganiza ion. Employing a longi udinal esea ch s a egy and he me hodology o ac ion esea ch, he
s udy enables insigh s om an empi ical case o a global high- ech p o essional i m combined wi h heo e ical
ele ance and analy ical igo . As a esul , we p esen a s age model depic ing he p ocess. The esul s yield
ele an and imely manage ial implica ions and also has me hodological implica ions o esea che s wi hin his
ield. Fu he mo e, ou ex ensi e li e a u e e iew ep esen ed in a concise o ma (Table 1) will help especially
newcome esea che s o map he e ain o implemen ing ma ke o ien a ion.
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This a icle is o ganized as ollows. In he li e a u e e iew we i s discuss he p e ious esea ch ocusing on he
implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion. We summa ize he key poin s and issues p esen ed in his esea ch s eam
in a able. Nex , in he me hodology sec ion we explain he me hodology o ac ion esea ch and he da a
gene a ion and analysis. The empi ical sec ion p esen s he na a i e o he change p ocess based on case
desc ip ion, in oducing he s ages iden i ied. As a esul , we p esen a model o he s ages. Finally, in he
conclusions, we e lec upon ou indings in e ms o how hey ela e o he p e ious indings in he li e a u e.
Then, we discuss he s udy’s con ibu ion, implica ions o p ac i ione s, and u u e esea ch di ec ions.
2. Li e a u e Re iew
E en hough i has been a much less in es iga ed opic compa ed o o ins ance measu emen and modeling
issues, implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion has ye ecei ed some esea ch in e es o e he pas decades. These
s udies and hei main me hods as well as key esul s ha e been summa ized in Table 1. Rega ding me hodology,
s udies by Na e , Sla e and Tie je (1998), Foley and Fahy (2004) and Ki ca, Jayachand an and Bea den (2005)
as well as he mo e ecen e iew by Van Raaij and S oelho s (2008) ep esen a heo e ical o me a-analy ical
analysis o he opic. Resea ch based on su ey indings has been conduc ed by S ong and Ha is (2004) and
Gouna is, A loni is and Papas ha opoulou (2004). In con as o quan i a i e indings, Kennedy e al. (2003) as
well as Gebha d , Ca pen e , and She y (2006) ha e used e hnog aphy o s udy he ma ke o ien a ion
implemen a ion p ocesses in di e en kinds o o ganiza ions.
As a key heo e ical con ibu ion, p e ious esea ch has also buil s age models o desc ibe he mo e owa d
ma ke o ien a ion. Day’s (1999) model ocuses on o mal managemen ac ions, such as changing incen i es and
o ganiza ional s uc u es. This model is es ed in he ields o e ail, cons uc ion and indus ial manu ac u ing.
Gebha d e al. (2006) emphasize he impo ance o cul u al change and changes in o ganiza ional membe ’s
mindse s. The s age models o Day (1999) and Gebha d e al. (2006) di e in e ms o how hey iew he
cul u al change. Day (1999) a gues ha he cul u al change ollows om beha iou al change while Gebha d e
al. (2006) a gue ha o icial manage ial change ac ions such as s uc u e and ewa d sys ems ollow a mo e
undamen al cul u al shi . S udies by S oelho s and Van Raaij (2004); Van Raaij and S oelho s (2008) ha e
made a g ea con ibu ion by summa izing he implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion li e a u e in o an in eg a i e
and holis ic amewo k ha akes in o accoun o ganiza ional s uc u e, p ocesses, echnological and ewa d
sys ems as well as leade ship, no ms and alues and compe ence managemen .
Table 1. P e ious ocal esea ch on an eceden s o c ea ion o ma ke o ien a ion
Au ho (s) Pu pose Me hod Resul s
Na e e al.
(1998)
How a business can bes
c ea e and inc ease ma ke
o ien a ion. Examines he
e ec i eness o wo
lea ning s a egies o c ea e
a ma ke o ien a ion.
Theo e ical
analysis o
p e ious
esea ch.
Impo ance o op-managemen leade ship in c ea ing a ma ke
o ien a ion.
C ea ing a ma ke o ien a ion is all abou lea ning. Bo h he abs ac
lea ning in he "p og amma ic app oach" and he expe ien ial lea ning in
he "ma ke -
b
ack app oach" con ibu e o achie ing ma ke o ien a ion.
They mus be managed as a coo dina ed join s a egies.
Day (1999)
Es ablish condi ions ha
ensu e change p ocess
success owa ds
ma ke -d i en
o ganiza ion.
Case analysis o
ou di e en
change
p og ams.
A model o o ganiza ional change o g ea e ma ke o ien a ion including
6 s ages: (1) demons a ing leade ship commi men , (2) unde s anding he
need o change, (3) shaping he ision, (4) mobilizing commi men o all
le els, (5) aligning s uc u es, sys ems, and incen i es, (6) ein o cing he
change.
Kennedy e al.
(2003)
How an o ganiza ion
adop s a cus ome
o ien a ion by e ining
unde s anding o he oles
o leade ship,
in e unc ional
coo dina ion and he
collec ion and
dissemina ion o
cus ome - ocused da a in
he ans o ma ion p ocess.
E hnog aphic
esea ch using 2
elemen a y
schools as
"labo a o ies".
Non-p o i
con ex – a majo
public school
dis ic .
Suppo he impo an ole o leade ship h oughou he o ganiza ion in
implemen ing cus ome o ien a ion. Fo s a membe s o in e nalize a
cus ome o ien a ion, hey mus expe ience an unb oken ci cui o uni ied
leade ship om op le el o local manage s. Resul s a e in a o o
in e unc ional coo dina ion equi ed in cus ome o ien a ion. Also,
cus ome ocused da a should be widely ci cula ed and should become a
sha ed o ganiza ion-wide pla o m om which decisions a e made in
o de o cus ome o ien a ion o p ospe and become sel - ein o ced.
Foley & Fahy P esen a heo e ical Theo e ical, A concep ual model o an eceden s o ma ke o ien a ion is de eloped
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(2004) amewo k ha uses
decomposi ion o he
ma ke -sensing capabili y
as a way o acili a e
unde s anding o he
c ea ion o ma ke
o ien a ion.
concep ual
analysis o
p e ious
esea ch.
wi hin a capabili ies amewo k, based on he decomposi ion o he
ma ke -sensing capabili y. Comp ised o ou dimensions, which ha e o
do wi h de eloping ma ke o ien a ion wi hin an o ganiza ion:
O ganiza ion sys ems, ma ke ing in o ma ion, o ganiza ion
communica ion and lea ning o ganiza ion.
Gouna is e al.
(2004)
In es iga es beha io al
implica ions o a company
ha adop s ma ke
o ien a ion.
Su ey on 444
G eek
companies.
Findings sugges ha ou aspec s o i m's p ac ices a e in luenced when
i de elops a ma ke o ien a ion: The planning p ocess, s a egy o ma ion,
s a egy implemen a ion and con ol.
S ong & Ha is
(2004)
Explo es ac o s ha d i e
he de elopmen o
cus ome o ien a ion. Key
objec i e is o p o ide
insigh s in o o ganiza ional
app oaches and ac ics ha
impede o acili a e
cus ome o ien a ion.
Su ey o
an eceden s o
cus ome
o ien a ion in
high- ech
companies.
One o he i s holis ic ca ego iza ions o ac ics designed o enhance
cus ome o ien a ion.
Re eals s ong e idence o signi ican associa ions be ween ela ional
ac ics (i.e. ela ional managemen , sa is ac ion measu emen , and
in e -g oup dynamics) and he ex en o cus ome -o ien ed o ganiza ion.
Highligh s he cen ali y o ela ionships o e ec i e exchange and he
c i ical impo ance o managing hose ela ionships in a conside ed and
s uc u ed manne .
Ki ca e al.
(2005)
To p o ide a quan i a i e
summa y o he
an eceden s and
consequences o ma ke
o ien a ion.
Quan i a i e
me a-analysis
agg ega ing
empi ical
indings om
he ma ke
o ien a ion
li e a u e.
Iden i ies h ee ac o s as an eceden s o a g ea e ma ke o ien a ion: op
managemen ocus, in e depa men al coope a ion, and ewa d sys ems.
Each o hese ac o s is belie ed o ope a e independen ly o enhance
ma ke o ien a ion.
Gebha d e al.
(2006)
Explo e he p ocess
h ough which
o ganiza ions change o
adop a g ea e ma ke
o ien a ion
In-dep h,
longi udinal
mul i i m (6
i ms)
e hnog aphic
in es iga ion o
i ms ha seek
o c ea e a
g ea e ma ke
o ien a ion.
A heo e ical model o explain how i ms c ea e a ma ke o ien a ion.
Model iden i ies 4 pa h-dependen s ages o change: (1) ini ia ion, (2)
econs i u ion, (3) ins i u ionaliza ion, (4) main enance.
Finds ha c ea ing a ma ke o ien a ion equi es d ama ic changes o an
o ganiza ion's cul u e and he c ea ion o o ganiza ionally sha ed ma ke
unde s andings.
Highligh s he ole o in a-o ganiza ional powe and o ganiza ional
lea ning in c ea ing and sus aining a ma ke o ien a ion.
Be e land &
Lindg een
(2007)
Examines he change
p ocess o g ea e ma ke
o ien a ion d awing upon
Lewin’s h ee s age change
p ocess model.
Mul iple case
s udy on change
p og ams o wo
New
Zealand-based
ag icul u al
o ganiza ions
D awing upon Lewin’s h ee-s age change p ocess model (un eezing – -
mo emen – e eezing) he s udy iden i ies ha c ea ion o ma ke
o ien a ion in ol es unco e ing long-held assump ion. Mo ing he i m
owa ds se o alues in ol es changes in he ole o leade ship, use o
ma ke in elligence and o ganiza ional lea ning s yles. To e eeze hese
alue, suppo i e policies a e needed.
an Raaij &
S oelho s 2008
Re iew he ma ke
o ien a ion li e a u e om
manage ial pe spec i e and
in eg a e he
implemen a ion lessons
ha can be d awn om i
Li e a u e
e iew o
manage ial
implica ions o
ma ke
o ien a ion
li e a u e.
Summa iza ion o he implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion li e a u e
in o an in eg a i e amewo k ha akes in o accoun he ollowing
p ocess enable s: 1) s uc u e ( educing cen aliza ion and inc easing
in e unc ional coo dina ion) 2) p ocess design (imp o ing alue c ea ion
and deli e y) 3) ICT sys ems (enabling new alue c ea ion p ocesses and
s o ing ma ke in o ma ion) 4) ewa d sys em (measu ing, analyzing and
ewa ding pe o mance on he basis o ma ke - based indica o s) and
de elopmen enable s 5) leade ship ( op managemen commi men and
leade ship s yle) 6) beha io al no ms & alues ( os e ing desi ed
beha io s and no ms) 7) compe ence managemen ( ec ui men , selec ion
and aining o wo k o ce wi h ma ke -o ien ed skills)
G ay (2010) In es iga ed how cus ome In dep h A icle sugges s ha how well ma ke o ien ed p ac ices a e implemen ed
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and compe i o ocused
p ac ices can be ine uned
o c ea e di e en ial
ad an ages in he se ices
sec o .
quali a i e case
s udy on 3
se ice i ms in
New Zealand.
is much mo e impo an han he ange o p ac ices ha a e adop ed.
Chad e al.
(2013)
Examine he success ul
in oduc ion o ma ke
o ien a ion in o h ee
Aus alian cha i ies and
iden i y he s ages o
implemen a ion.
Discou se
ans o ma ion
pe spec i e on
h ee non-p o i
cases
Ma ke o ien a ion was implemen ed wi hin he cha i ies in h ee
ansi ional phases: a new manage ialism phase, a p o essionalism phase
and subseques embedding phase. Finally a concep ual p axis amewo k
o implemen ing MO in o cha i ies was de eloped.
Muke jee
(2013)
Manage ial pape o
p esen concep ual
amewo k o
implemen ing cus ome
o ien a ion.
Li e a u e
e iew.
Th ee majo ini ia i es ha o ganiza ions mus ake o be cus ome
o ien ed: a) de eloping deep unde s anding o wha cus ome ’s uly
alue, b) d i ing he deli e y o he desi ed cus ome alue and
con inually acking cus ome sa is ac ion; and c) ewa ding and e aining
loyal and p o i able cus ome s.
Gup a e al.
(2013)
P opose a amewo k
based on he heo y o
cons ains (TOC) as a
mechanism o achie e
op imal deg ee o ma ke
o ien a ion.
Case s udy
Pape demons a es ha TOC (1) me hodology ensu es ha managemen
e o s a e exe ed o op imize he business uni ’s cons ain s which is
limi ing i s abili y o inc ease sales and imp o e inancial pe o mance,
(2) measu es guide and ewa d managemen ini ia i es ac oss he
unc ional a eas, and (3) mindse ensu es ha managemen decisions
esul in inc eased business pe o mance wi hou jeopa dizing employees,
cus ome and compe i o o ien a ion.
While he li e a u e has ce ainly been ad anced la ely especially by in eg a ing wha is known so a , he e is
s ill a lack o especially empi ical, longi udinal and in-dep h inqui ies o implemen ing ma ke o ien a ion wi hin
o ganiza ions. Mos o he exis ing s udies a e ei he based on heo e ical e iews o on mul iple case s udies
whe e he b ead h o inqui y is emphasized o e he dep h o insigh s gained by a mo e ocused app oach. This
s udy aims o con ibu e o he li e a u e by ocusing on a single case wi h a mo e p o ound, ex ensi e manne
and by using he me hodology o ac ion esea ch which is new o he li e a u e as well.
3. Me hodology
This s udy adop s ac ion esea ch which has a long his o y in he social sciences bu is ela i ely less used in
managemen s udies (Lewin, 1946; E iksson & Ko alainen, 2008; Pe y & Gummesson, 2004; Mele, 2011). One
eason o he lack o use o ac ion esea ch in ma ke ing is ha i is adi ionally o ien ed owa d he in e nal
pe spec i e o he o ganiza ion whils he ex e nal pe spec i e, ha o he cus ome s in pa icula , is mo e
impo an o ma ke ing (Pe y & Gummesson, 2004, 313). Also, he ma ke ing and managemen esea ch
communi y has adi ionally a o ed posi i is and quan i a i e me hodologies which aim a gene aliza ion.
Ac ion esea ch deno es o an app oach whe e he co e idea is o do esea ch wi h people a he han on hem. In
he con ex o managemen and ma ke ing, ac ion esea ch is used o unde s and o ganiza ions, ma ke s and
cus ome s be e , usually o make an ope a ion mo e e icien (Gummesson, 2000). An ac ion esea ch p ojec
en ails he esea che ’s pa icipa ion and in ol emen in he o ganiza ion ha is s udied. The esea che is no
only in ol ed (as in e hnog aphic inqui y), bu also pa icipa es in inding solu ions o a p oblem o imp o ing
he si ua ion. Howe e , i has been s essed ha in b inging abou he o ganiza ional change, he e should also be
a con ibu ion o he de elopmen o heo y. Also, he e a e di e en ways and le els o esea che pa icipa ion
anging om a echnical, consul an ole o a p ocess acili a o and a co- esea che in an emancipa o y p ojec
(Pe y & Gummesson, 2004).
Ac ion esea ch has been speci ically sugges ed as a esea ch s a egy when he esea ch ques ion is ela ed o
ollowing a p ocess o e ime (E iksson & Ko alainen, 2008). I is a collabo a i e p ocess whe e he deg ee o
in ol emen o he esea che may also a y. An ac ion esea ch s a egy also o en en ails he use o se e al
di e en me hods o gene a ing da a o e ime. The s eng hs o he ac ion esea ch app oach a e in i s abili y o
gi e he esea che an in-dep h, long- e m and ex ensi e access o he esea ch phenomenon. I is also likely o
be able o yield mo e p ac ice-d i en heo e ical insigh s han o he me hodologies (Huxham & Vangen, 2003).
The objec i es o his s udy we e p edominan ly heo e ical. Hence, he indings gene a ed in his s udy should
no be seen as me ely con ex -bound. Ins ead, he aim is o be able o use analy ical gene aliza ion o o he
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48
con ex s (Yin, 1994). Like Huxham and Vangen (2003) sugges , ou app oach is also no ideologically bound and
he s udy has been ini ia ed as a coope a ion be ween he esea che s and he case o ganiza ion.
3.1 Da a Gene a ion
Gi en he pu pose o his esea ch o analyze he implemen a ion o ma ke o ien a ion in a p o essional
high- ech o ganiza ion, he ac ual case composes o wo in e dependen elemen s – i s ly, he case o ganiza ion
ha his esea ch has in es iga ed, and secondly, he change p ocess ha his o ganiza ion has been going
h ough. As his s udy in es iga es a change p ocess, deep in ol emen in he case company is aluable in o de
o unde s and he many-sided na u e o he phenomenon. The i s au ho o his pape was wo king o he case
company a he ime o he da a gene a ion and con inues o wo k o he company oday.
S udies ocused on p ocesses ha e o come o an end, whe eas he p ocesses in he eal wo ld con inue. The
pe iod ollowed in his esea ch was app oxima ely 3.5 yea s s a ing om Sep embe 2002. The change p ocess
was ollowed un il he end o he yea 2005, which seemed na u al, as he sa u a ion poin o he da a collec ed
had been eached.
The da a gene a ion s a egy combined in e iewing, obse a ion as well as documen analysis. As he main
sou ce o da a, 22 in-dep h in e iews we e conduc ed. Fi s ly, se en in e iews concen a ed on he managemen
iews. Nex , 15 mo e in e iews ocused on he cus ome in e ace and especially di e en unc ions and uni s in
he cus ome in e ace. The in o man s we e chosen pu pose ully. The idea was o ge di e en pe spec i es on
he phenomenon as he in e iewees ep esen di e en uni s and unc ions. In e iewing people in di e en
oles adds o he ich da a needed o s udy his kind o a mul i-laye ed phenomenon. An in e iew guide was
used o make su e ha ele an opics and hemes would be co e ed du ing he in e iews. The in e iews we e
conduc ed no only by asking ques ions, bu p ima ily by encou aging he in o man s o “ ell a s o y” in hei
own wo ds as eely as possible. In e es ing aspec s eme ged du ing he analyses o he i s se o da a, which
we e co e ed du ing he second ound o in e iews. The p elimina y esul s o he i s ound o in e iews we e
u ilized in o ming he in e iew guide o he second ound o in e iews. The in e iews we e all ape- eco ded
and a e wa d ansc ibed. The eco ded ime amoun s o almos 30 hou s al oge he . T ansc ip s amoun o 566
pages.
Being an ac o in he case o ganiza ion, he i s w i e ’s own aci knowledge abou he o ganiza ion in ques ion
has played a ema kable ole in his s udy. Ha ing had a us ing ela ionship wi h he in o man s has been a
s eng h. Also he cul u al exp essions o an o ganiza ion we e unde s ood, allowing he esea che o ge s aigh
o he poin wi h he in o man s. Pa icipa o y obse a ion and documen s p o ided by he case o ganiza ion
ha e been used as seconda y da a in his s udy. The obse a ions we e no eco ded sys ema ically; no es we e
aken and w i en ma e ial such as memos we e a ailable. The sel -documen a ion o he o ganiza ion was also
u ilized as da a, including minu es o mee ings, o icial s a egy documen a ion, and o he o icial documen a ion
including p esen a ions, b ochu es, in-house magazines, in ane , and company's annual e iews. The documen s
u ilized po ay bo h he eco d keeping o an o ganiza ion's in e nal eali y and sel -p esen a ion o o he s (see
e.g. A kinson & Co ey 2004). The ole o documen s and obse a ions in his s udy was wo old. Fi s ly, hey
p o ided a ehicle o iangula ion. In o de o cons uc a eliable case desc ip ion, i was essen ial o acqui e
compe ing accoun s o ac i i ies and compa e and assess hese accoun s ca e ully in o de o see whe he hey
suppo ed he same conclusion (see Pe ig ew, 1990).
3.2 Da a Analysis
The da a analysis had wo aims in his s udy. Fi s ly i was o p o ide an analy ical desc ip ion o he empi ical
case and secondly o de elop an empi ically g ounded s aged model o c ea ing ma ke o ien a ion wi hin a
p o essional high- ech o ganiza ion. The case desc ip ion i sel al eady shows on one le el he link be ween
empi ical eali y and heo e ical concep s. The esea ch ma e ial including in e iews, documen s o he case
o ganiza ion and no es o obse a ions was analyzed by coding, heme-based ca ego iza ion, o he segmen ing o
da a, as well as by w i ing summa ies and by abula ing. N i o so wa e has been used as a ool and aid o
handling he da a.
The analysis was s a ed by eading he ma e ial h ough se e al imes. Du ing ha p ocess, key wo ds i.e. coded
he da a and ound hemes we e picked up. The iden i ied hemes we e hen o ganized in o ca ego ies. In
addi ion, he da a was segmen ed o o ganized 'p ocess-based' by iden i ying s ages o he change p ocess.
Finally, connec ions be ween concep s o be ween empi ical phenomena we e sough om he da a. Pa e n
codes we e used o indica e logical and explana o y ela ionships be ween di e en concep s and e en s in he
da a.

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4. Empi ical Findings
The empi ical case company is a global, p o essional high- ech o ganiza ion which wan s o highligh he
p opo ion o di e en kinds o p o essional se ices in i s o al ma ke o e ing. A p o essional high- ech
o ganiza ion is a combina ion o h ee know-why based o ganiza ion ypes: High- ech i m, expe se ice and
know-why-based knowledge se ice. The case o ganiza ion's o al o e ing comp ises o high- echnology
p oduc s bu also o a la ge ex en di e en kinds o se ices. Some se ices a e mo e conc e e indus ial
main enance se ices and an inc easing p opo ion a e di e en kinds o knowledge se ices. The case
o ganiza ion is cha ac e ized by ypical ea u es o p o essional o ganiza ions. Howe e , he high echnology is
in a cen al ole as well.
The chosen case o ganiza ion is called Powe & P ocess Au oma ion Solu ions, acco ding o i s o e ing o he
cus ome indus ies i se es. I is a business uni o Me so Au oma ion, and Me so Au oma ion is one o h ee o
Me so co po a ion’s business a eas. Me so co po a ion cu en ly (in 2015) has a u no e o 3.9 billion eu os and
i ope a es globally. In Sep embe 2002, he e was an o ganiza ion change in Me so Au oma ion. As a esul o
his change, a p ocess au oma ion sys em’s business was o ganized in o wo business uni s–whe e he case
o ganiza ion is one o hem.
When analyzing he change p ocess o he case i showed ha a change p ocess owa ds inc eased ma ke
o ien a ion has ou in e dependen s ages ha ha e mul iple o e lapping ac i i ies in hem. These s ages a e:
 Ini ia ion o change,
 Building commi men ,
 Building unde s anding h ough ins i u ionaliza ion, and
 Main enance.
In he analysis, he change p ocess o he case o ganiza ion was compa ed o wo p e iously in oduced s aged
change models by Day (1999) and Gebha d e al. (2006). Bo h he models desc ibe and explo e he change
p ocess o a g ea e ma ke o ien a ion.
4.1 Ini ia ion o Change
Wha ini ia es he change e o s owa ds ma ke o ien a ion is he igge o change. This igge can be ei he
ex e nal o in e nal–i can be e.g. change in cus ome s’ needs, e e -inc easing compe i ion, echnological o
inancial h ea o p essu e, o i can on he o he hand be o ganiza ional change and hi ing a new leade . In he case
he e was an o ganiza ion change s a ing Sep embe 2002. In he o ganiza ion change, he powe and p ocess
business o med one business uni . The new business uni go a new leade om inside Me so Au oma ion, who
had ex ensi e managing expe ience in a a ie y o posi ions in di e en business a eas o Me so Au oma ion. The
change p ocess owa ds inc eased ma ke o ien a ion was ini ia ed in he case o ganiza ion. The new leade as well
as o he in e iewees poin ed ou in he in e iews ha he new leade was in a key ole ini ia ing he change in he
o ganiza ion. He was he key d i ing o ce especially a he s a . The new leade i s go amilia wi h he p esen
ma ke , cus ome s and in e nal si ua ion. This led o he ecogni ion and unde s anding he need o change. The
leade was commi ed o change and was a eal d i e o change especially in he beginning. I came ou clea in
he in e iews ha in he change p ocess, he leade should openly show his commi men o he o ganiza ion.
A e ecognizing and unde s anding he need o change, he leade s a s p epa a ions o change. In he case
o ganiza ion he leade i s made a d a o he basic s a egic ideas– he ision, goals and ac i i ies–and d a ed
he main s uc u e. Then he s a ed sys ema ically o ede elop he ope a ing co e o he o ganiza ion. Fi s ly, he
buil up a managemen eam ha had a uni ied idea o he cou se o change, and hus had he willingness o
change he business o he chosen cou se. Mo eo e , he eam’s capabili ies and know-how suppo ed he change
owa ds inc eased ma ke o ien a ion.
In building a managemen eam, one has o make su e ha he combined knowhow and capabili ies a e enough o
each he wan ed goal.
Leade
The leade s a ed sys ema ically o build up he commi men and unde s anding o change among he
managemen eam membe s. Also, he delega ed he esponsibili y o he change o o he eam membe s by
in ol ing hem in o implemen a ion. Thus, one impo an ac i i y in he p epa a ion o change is he
de elopmen o a guiding coali ion ( e m used by Gephad e al., 2006), who has a sha ed se o alues and
ag eemen on he change. This guiding coali ion is esponsible o he ac ual implemen a ion o he change
p ocess. A e building up a managemen eam, he leade buil up he uppe le el main o ganiza ional s uc u e –
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he li e cycle o ganiza ion. Then he managemen eam i.e. he guiding coali ion, buil up a uni ied goal based on
sha ed alues, and w o e down he basic ideas o he s a egy and he s a egic a ge s o cla i y key poin s in he
s a egy. Thus, a pa o he p epa a ion is o c ys allize he goal in he guiding coali ion’s minds.
A he beginning o he change p ocess, I ha e o ensu e he igh di ec ion mo e s ongly, and choose he igh
people. Then my ole changes. A he beginning my ole was s onge in e ms o wha we a e aiming a . La e on
I ha e backed away a li le and coached he eam o succeed, and encou aged hem o explain hei successes.
Leade
I came ou clea ly in he in e iews ha i ook some ime o o he managemen eam membe s o eally ully
unde s and wha he new ma ke o ien ed s a egy was eally all abou . I was exp essed as a lea ning p ocess o
e e yone. The ac ha he e was “new blood” in he managemen eam made he in e naliza ion o new hings
easie . The managemen eam’s s a egy mee ing ha was o ganized six mon hs a e he o ganiza ion change
wo ked as a u ning poin . Acco ding o bo h he business uni leade as well as o he managemen eam membe s,
i was no un il his mee ing, ha he eal idea o he new s a egy was c ys allized in e e ybody’s mind. As one
managemen eam membe desc ibed i , i was as i all he sepa a e pieces o a puzzle had ound hei place. This
was a so o awakening o he new ma ke o ien ed s a egy. This ma ked a poin whe e he esponsibili y o he
change p ocess was eally delega ed, as he business uni leade desc ibes i :
Then as we wen h ough ou s a egy in he s a egy mee ing in May, we speci ied ha we ha e a cus ome ocus.
I hink ha i was his mee ing when hese guys eally unde s ood wha his s a egy is all abou . I ook six mon hs
o ge in o he eal insigh . I wasn’ a adi ional s a egy mee ing; we b ains o med, discussed and ma elled…
Bu i was his pa icula mee ing when i was all c ys allized o e e yone, and hey knew why we a e doing hings
in a new way. The sel -es eem was buil o hese guys. The esponsibili y was hen delega ed.
Leade
Acco ding o Gebha d e al. (2006) in he ini ia ion phase, i s ly he ex e nal h ea is ecognized which leads o
a p epa a ion o he change including he de elopmen o a guiding coali ion as well as ag eeing on a b oad plan
o change. Day (1999) emphasizes in his change model, he demons a ion o leade ship commi men in he i s
place and h oughou he en i e change p ocess. Day (1999) also poin s ou ha unde s anding he need o
change o he key implemen e s is a cen al pa in he ini ia ion o he change p og am. He emphasizes also ha
mobilizing commi men and shaping he ision s a s in he ini ia ion phase.
A e unde s anding he need o change p epa ing, he implemen a ion can be ini ia ed. The ac ual
implemen a ion o he change can be di ided in o wo in e dependen s ages ha ha e sligh ly di e en ia ed
aims–building commi men and building unde s anding hough ins i u ionaliza ion. We wan o poin ou ha
hese s ages and he ac i i ies in hem a e in e dependen and no easily g ouped unambiguously.
4.2 Building Commi men
In he implemen a ion, he business uni managemen i s paid a en ion o he mos c i ical pa s ha ha e o do
wi h se ing he cus ome . The i s hing was eno a ing he sales and se ice ne wo k ab oad. Then a en ion
was paid o sales and p ojec execu ion he compe i i eness o which was in line. Au oma ion p ojec execu ion
is a co ne s one o he business and many imes is conside ed a s a ing poin in building ela ionships wi h
cus ome s. The business uni leade had an idea in his mind ha by combining he sales and p ojec execu ion
o ganiza ions, he p oduc i i y could be imp o ed. The coope a ion be ween hese unc ions ha a e adi ionally
o ganized sepa a ely would also imp o e he cus ome se ice le el. Thus, he i s ac i i y in he
implemen a ion phase is ede eloping he c i ical pa s o business.
Some imes…you need o s a o a ec he mindse and you need o awaken he change somehow. In p ac ice his
means ha you need o sc een ha uni and eno a e he co e. Only hen you can s a he nex phase, when you
can s a o de elop new hings.
Leade
S a ing he implemen a ion in he case o ganiza ion, he change was i s e oked in he o ganiza ion. The
managemen eam s a ed sys ema ically o communica e he easons o a need o change by e.g. in o ma i e
mee ings and in e nal eleases. This way he managemen eam wan ed o c ea e a posi i e p essu e o change in
he o ganiza ion. Thus, he i s implemen a ion ac i i y is he awakening o change o he o ganiza ion.
Then he o ganiza ion was engaged in he s a egy de elopmen s by o ganizing a c oss- unc ional wo kshop.
This collabo a i e s a egy de elopmen aims a u ilizing he collec i e capabili ies and knowledge o he
o ganiza ion o make su e ha he s a egy is ealis ic and manageable. Fu he mo e, he engagemen o he
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pe sonnel in o he s a egy de elopmen led o o ganiza ion-wide commi men o change. I seemed easie o
commi o a s a egy ha was a esul o collec i e ponde ing ins ead o being dic a ed om he managemen .
The in e ac ion is emendously impo an – ha you eally explain and le people in e nalize why hings a e
changing.
Leade
Then he key leading oles in he o ganiza ion we e selec ed. The managemen eam wan ed o make su e ha
eam leade s would sha e he alues ha a e necessa y o he chosen cou se o change. I was hus necessa y o
emo e he dissen e s o he new s a egy and o hi e belie e s ins ead.
Qui e o en he change is p e en ed because he leade s don’ ha e “ he balls” o a e a aid. Then i migh be
easie o swi ch he leade s. I is his so o a posi i e an asy ha someone would lea n o walk again…i is
ex emely di icul . I you wan o change as , you need o be c i ical and and sc een you esou ces e y
ca e ully… ha p e y much can sol e hings.
Leade
Along wi h building commi men in he o ganiza ion, new alues we e de eloped – alues ha emphasize
cus ome ca e and he impo ance o c ea ing alue wi h he cus ome s. Mo e impo an ly, no ms o p ocedu e
we e de eloped o ensu e ha hose alues would become a common way o do hings in p ac ice. The
unde s anding o new alues, he way o ope a e and he easoning behind he new ela ional s a egy s a ed o
e ol e as ime wen by and as conc e e changes we e made. Indeed, one heme ha was equen ly discussed
was he impo ance o lea ning by doing, as one manage exp essed:
They ha e o li e he change and make a di e ence. Unde s anding he o al pic u e comes by expe iencing hings.
Leade
The e a e simila i ies also in his s age o he change p ocess compa ed o Gebha d e al’s (2006) and Day’s
(1999) change models. Gebha d e al. (2006) also men ioned ha i s he change is e oked. They use he e m
dema ca ion as an ac i i y whe e he guiding coali ion p esen s i s plan o change o he en i e o ganiza ion.
Also Gebha d e al. (2006) poin ed ou ha collabo a i e s a egy de elopmen makes su e ha he s a egy is
ealis ic and can be implemen ed in p ac ice. They also included in o hei model an ac i i y o emo ing he
dissen e s and hi ing o he belie e s o he new s a egy in o de o make he change happen. Also Gebha d e al.
(2006) and Day (1999) ound ha new alues and no ms a e de eloped in he p ocess. As Day (1999) men ions
in his model, one ac i i y along he change p ocess is e ining he cus ome alue p oposi ion. This was done
also in he case o ganiza ion by ongoing cus ome con ac s ha will be men ioned in he main enance pa (4.4).
4.3 Building Unde s anding h ough Ins i u ionaliza ion
The unde s anding o new alues, he way o ope a e and he easoning behind he new s a egy s a ed o e ol e
as ime wen by and as conc e e changes we e made. The change was hus in a way ins i u ionalized h ough
s uc u es, inancial ollow-up and incen i es, as well as h ough he de elopmen o o al se ice o e ing.
S uc u ing he main o ganiza ion as a p ocess was an ac i i y ha in he beginning ecei ed con adic o y
opinions. As ime wen by and people go o expe ience how he o ganiza ion ac ually ope a es, he ai h owa ds
he o ganiza ion imp o ed. The same was wi h he c oss- unc ional cus ome speci ic eams– he expe ience and
posi i e eedback om he cus ome s esul ed in o unde s anding he way o ope a e in close coope a ion wi h
o he unc ions. In addi ion o s uc u es, he e we e some changes done in he inancial ollow-up. The goal was
o make each cus ome con ac employee o ealize how hey can con ibu e wi h hei ac i i ies in building he
esul . Mo eo e , he ac ual alue o indi idual cus ome ela ionships was measu ed o he i s ime. One
cen al ac i i y in ins i u ionaliza ion is hus aligning he s uc u es and inancial ollow-up o suppo he
de elopmen owa ds inc eased ma ke o ien a ion.
One cen al ac i i y in he ins i u ionaliza ion o change has been he de elopmen o a o al o e ing by
undamen ally inc easing he p opo ion o se ices ou o he o al o e ing. The idea is o se e key cus ome s
along hei p ocess li e cycle. This is a way o main ain and deepen long- e m cus ome ela ionships. The
se ice was de eloped in a di ec ion ha ul ima ely aims a imp o ing he cus ome s’ p oduc ion pe o mance.
Mo eo e , Me so Au oma ion could ake mo e comp ehensi e esponsibili y o imp o ing ha pe o mance.
The se ice was de eloped no only in he mo e adi ional a ailabili y se ices side bu also in he a ea o mo e
consul a i e ypes o expe se ices. Along he de elopmen o o al o e ing, he ole o p oduc manage s
undamen ally changes. They go close o cus ome s, and his way he new se ices we e de eloped in close
coope a ion wi h cus ome s.
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We se e hem [ he cus ome s] so well ha we don’ lose hem a any poin . Then along he cus ome ’s p oduc ion
p ocess, we se e hem wi h a a ie y o ou solu ions, so ha we can g ow alongside hem. This is he basic idea.
Managemen eam membe
Du ing he en i e change p ocess and especially in he implemen a ion phase, communica ion seems o play an
impo an ole. In he case o ganiza ion, he idea o open and ac i e communica ion was o make su e ha he
whole o ganiza ion is all he ime awa e o wha has been accomplished, and wha is o be done nex .
We s a ed li le by li le o ge successes. Communica ion has been cons an ly alongside he change p ocess. We
go posi i e expe iences, we go o de s and he ma gins wen up and we go new p oduc s and se ices. Then
people s a ed o unde s and ha all his migh ha e a poin .
Leade
This way he unde s anding and commi men was buil -up. The en i e o ganiza ion was engaged wi h he
communica ion. The communica ion was no only one-way communica ion bu also in e ac i e. In e ac i e
communica ion wo ked a he same ime as a aining o um o he pe sonnel. Also p i a e supe io -employee
con e sa ion was an impo an means o communica ion in he case o ganiza ion, o make su e ha e e yone
unde s ands he change in he indi idual le el.
I is ex emely impo an in a change p ocess ha you do he supe io -employee con e sa ions co ec ly. The ideas
o he new s a egy need o be explained o each and e e y one in e ms o wha i means in p ac ice o ha
pa icula indi idual. I is he supe io s’ job o do ha . Many supe io s don’ ealize how impo an i is o an
indi idual o ho oughly unde s and he change and wha i means o you sel and o ge eedback. People don’
make conscious mis akes, bu you canno know hings i no one has old you.
Leade
Demons a ing leade ship commi men seems o be an impo an aspec in he change p ocess in all he s ages,
and especially in he implemen a ion s age. I means he leade s walking he alk and ge ing hemsel es close o
cus ome s seemed an impo an posi i e aspec o change.
Also bo h Gebha d e al. (2006) and Day (1999) ound ha aligning s uc u es as well as ewa d and inancial
ollow-up is a cen al elemen o ins i u ionalizing he change. In he case o ganiza ion one new ac i i y was o
u he he measu emen o he eal alue o indi idual cus ome ela ionships. The de elopmen o a o al
o e ing was a clea exp ession o ins i u ionalizing he change in he case o ganiza ion. This is no men ioned in
ei he Gebha d e al’s (2006) o Day’s (1999a) change models owa ds inc eased ma ke o ien a ion. In he case
o ganiza ion he de elopmen o he o al o e ing was clea ly an ac i i y ha aimed o conc e e main enance and
de elopmen o long- e m cus ome ela ionships. Thus, i can be said ha i is an impo an de elopmen a ea in
which o pu sue owa ds inc eased ma ke o ien a ion. Communica ion was an ac i i y ha came ou s ongly as
a key aspec du ing he whole change p ocess in he case o ganiza ion. This ac i i y was no men ioned in ei he
o he compa ed change models. Howe e , aining is an ac i i y men ioned in Gebha d ’s e al. (2006) model. In
he case o ganiza ion aining is conside ed a cen al pa o in e ac i e communica ion. Also Day (1999)
emphasized in his model he impo ance o demons a ing he leade ship commi men along he change p ocess.
4.4 Main enance
One ocal ac i i y in main aining he de elopmen is he ollow-up o he e ol emen in he change p ocess. In
he case o ganiza ion, he ollow-up was done occasionally by compa ing he p esen si ua ion wi h he assigned
goals ha we e se in he beginning. Mo eo e , possible new employees we e sc eened in acco dance o he
o ganiza ion’s alues.
Main aining he spi i o succeeding is also an ac i i y ha d i es he posi i e de elopmen . Conc e e mone a y
success seemed o build ai h in he new s a egy. This success was ac i ely communica ed o he pe sonnel
Ge ing success is emendously impo an in making he change happen. and ha people ha e un in doing hei
job and money comes– his eeds he sel con idence. As he change s a s o wo k and he e comes success s o ies,
he e also comes he sel con idence and ai h o i .
Leade
Cul u e main enance i uals a e also a way o main ain he de elopmen . Ce ain hings we e epea ed egula ly.
In communica ion, he ac i i ies and success s o ies wi h cus ome s we e emphasized in connec ion wi h
p esen ing he inancial si ua ion, o example. The ongoing cus ome connec ions we e used o check along he
way ha he di ec ion o change is igh .