The importance of structure in transformation chaos: A Transformation Framework

Dynamic market conditions, technological disruption and social change require organizations to continuously adapt and evolve. However, studies on organizational change show that the majority of transformations undertaken fail because they are characterized by a lack of clarity, overload and ineffective measures. This paper shows how a clear structure as a critical success factor can make the chaos and challenges of a transformation manageable. The focus here is on a practice-oriented framework that divides a transformation into nine essential building blocks with activities that are critical to success. The structure of the framework is understood as a flexible organizing principle for a transformation without hindering creativity and dynamics. Case studies show the adaptability and applicability of the framework to different characteristics and dimensions of transformation. The transformation framework provides an operative structure and enables transformation managers for transparent orchestration and implementation of transformation.