Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1-2005
Abstract
This paper describes how in absence of strong sponsorship and often regardless of project outcome\, leaders of high impact corporate change initiatives must simultaneously develop bonding social capital to become sustainable members of the enterprise’s leadership team. This particularly holds for executives brought in from outside the firm to lead change. We present the findings of a qualitative research study of 42 projects led by 30 executive leaders from a diverse portfolio of primarily manufacturing companies\, leaders who were either Insiders (those established within their firms) or Outsiders (leaders brought in as fulltime employees from outside the firm specifically to lead the project). The basis of this study was a conceptual model of the extent to which change leaders are embedded in and leverage internal and external social networks to contribute to favorable project outcome\, influencing their career development upon completion of the change initiative. The grounded theory analysis has revealed a topology of traits characterizing change leader identity and presents the interplay of social capital (relationships\, trust and shared norms in addition to the leveraging of social networks internal and external to the firm)\, sponsorship\, and in the case of several change leaders\, a shift in self identity that unfolds in the course of leading planned organizational change. Leading change can change leaders.,Doctorate of Management Programs
Keywords
Organizational change, Leadership
Rights
© The Author(s). Kelvin Smith Library provides access for non-commercial, personal, or research use only. All other use, including but not limited to commercial or scholarly reproductions, redistribution, publication or transmission, whether by electronic means or otherwise, without prior written permission is strictly prohibited.
Department/Center
Design & Innovation
Recommended Citation
Larsen, Zara F., "Change Leader Career Development: The Interplay of Social Capital\, Sponsorship and Self Identity During Planned Organizational Change" (2005). Student Scholarship. 624.
https://commons.case.edu/studentworks/624