Boundary activities and readiness for ... - Projekti-Instituutti

Indicators of
readiness for
change
Descriptions Illustrative quotes
(To illustrate the program’s situation at the end of the initiation stage, the quotes are from the
second round of interviews, unless noted otherwise)
Resources (continued from the previous page)
Visible senior
management
support and
involvement
Receptive
environment
and prepared
recipients of
change
Autonomy
Legitimate
position in the
organization
Authority and
autonomy to
realize change
Overall
readiness
Top management support was ensured from the beginning
by making the central line managers also responsible for
the program.
Early implementations had demonstrated some results,
which was seen to create and sustain momentum. Some
fears related to the changes were reported, especially
concerning the local unit personnel. Although some
individual projects had involved local unit personnel in
planning, the program was not very visible towards the
change recipients In local units.
In Chain’s headquarters, nobody seemed to question the
program’s legitimacy, and the program had gained a high
status and a powerful position.
The program was not autonomous as such (as major
program-related were made by the line organization’s
decision makers), but it had authority due to its wellworking
management system. Domain’s key managers
were involved in the program steering group, where main
decisions related to the program’s projects were made. The
program also had authority via its central managers’ highranking
positions. Although the program coordinator did
not originally possess much authority, he had gradually
gained a more powerful position and his mandate had
increased when he was appointed as the program manager.
Overall, readiness for program implementation was high.
Some fears were still expressed concerning the insufficient
involvement of the local unit personnel, and related to the
slow progress of some individual projects.
Program manager in round 1: ”It is a bit of a cliché, but top management commitment really is the most
significant enabler. That top managers are this committed, and that the right people are there to make the
decisions, those are the most central factors.”
Steering group member: “One of the major factors is that this entire effort has been under the protection of
the top management of the business.”
Program owner: “It has been very important for us to show results, since 1.5 years ago there were many
doubts of what we’ll gain with this. … It has been vital to show that benefits are already being realized from
this [early implementation]; it has contributed to the positive atmosphere surrounding this program.”
Sub-program manager: “There are two kinds of attitudes: some are excited about [the new equipment] …
and this challenge. And others are afraid: they know there will be staff reductions and they are unaware if
those will concern them.”
Project manager in round 1: “The program has such a high status that if someone introduces oneself and
says that: ”I’m N.N. from this program and I’m conducting an investigation on this topic”… one is able to
get the required information.”
Sub-program manager: “We won’t have a future without this. The early results show that we are able to stop
the expenses from rising. … We need this to continue.”
Program manager: “The prerequisite for me to accept this position was to have a well-functioning project
portfolio management process for making decisions about the projects. That process may not be bypassed;
the program simply cannot take any of that. So if the CEO asks some project to do something, we need to all
agree that no one will act until we have discussed that in the program steering group, considered the effects
and made a formal decision … If the CEO asked to put a project on hold, it would of course be put on hold.
But not just by his request, but only after it had been decided in the steering group. … Everyone gets the
idea, and I’m very satisfied with how this works.”
Communications expert: ”Because [the program manager] has also shown to understand so much about the
program content, his position has now been confirmed by giving him the mandate to also intervene instead
of just coordinating things. ”
Program owner: “Everyone here understands the status of the program, that doesn’t require any further
discussion. People understand that these changes are necessary … There is also shared commitment to all
our actions … But we still have a challenge as there still are those who could be better involved in.”