Change is one of those things which are not only inevitable but also constant. In organizations, market, and society, change is that one thing which is the most expected. However, this is also one of the things which are the most uncertain. Organizations often get in trouble because of the unpredictable nature of change. Often time organizations tend to ignore this fact and remain stuck with their old conventional norms and ways of doing things. Change can be of different types. The Change can either be transformational, or transitional. The transitional change is the change which deals with the change caused by technology. It includes the changes like the use of new devices or applications. This type of change is the one which cannot be easily identified as it deals more with the processes, beliefs, and behaviors. On the contrary, the transformational change deals with the changes which occur through radical developments in the field of technology. For example, the introduction of computers disrupted every field as everyone had to adapt to it as no one could find any other better alternative. The failure of companies and businesses to adopt computer during their operations has led to their organizational failures as companies were not able to remain relevant and competitive. This article is focused on the comparison and contrast of these two types of changes, the transformational and the transitional change (Bierema, 2014).
Transitional changes are the one which is considered to replace an existing structure or process. These are quite challenging to implement as these causes’ difficulties of adaptation for the employees. Transitional changes are conducted to accommodate the new change while maintaining the functionality of the operation or process. It seems to be more predictable and simpler. The level of leadership required in this kind of change is usually greater as compared to the daily operations. It is important to consider that the existing skills, behavior, acceptance of change and organizational environment also play a vital role in the change implementation.
The transitional change focuses more on the organizational culture, mission, and the strategy implementation. For making transitional change successful, any organization needs a good amount of time, effort, leadership and organizational investment. The change is considered as a disruption by the middle-level and low-level employees in their daily operations. However, the process of transitional change is pretty much linear and predictable. By effective planning, and good budget a transitional change can be implemented quite easily. The example of transitional change can include the addition of a new product or service, or implementation of a new corporate structure, or remodeling through new technology (Goodman, 2016).
On the other hand, Transformational change is the one which revolutionizes the way members of the organization used to think, act and work. It is the type of change which remodels the business strategies and results in a change in culture, structure, and work environment. This kind of change is extremely difficult to implement and requires strong leadership and management skills. The transformational change can result in transitional changes as well. The examples of transformational change include a change in leadership style, strategy alteration, crisis, or dramatic changes in the market. The nature of the transformational change is very unpredictable and complex. This type of changes is mostly seen during the acquisition and mergers of firms. This type of change needs the highest level of involvement of the leadership, its employees, and its investment. Usually, companies hire people for gaining consultation on the change management and its implementation. Organizational structure, policies, procedures, culture, working norms can change as a result of any transformational change (Babic, Savovi, & Domanovic, 2014).
References
Babic, V. M., Savovi, S., & Domanovic, V. M. (2014). Transformational Leadership and Post-Acquistion Performance in Transitional Economies. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 27 (6), 856-876.
Bierema, L. (2014). An Introduction to Organizational Development. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education Inc.
Goodman, N. (2016). The Business Transformation Revolution. Training, 53 (1), 124-126.
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