Week 04 - Decision Making for Organizational Change

title: Week 04 - Decision Making for Organizational Change

date: 2026-02-11 00:04:48

location: Heritage University

tags:

  • Heritage University
  • MSW Program
  • SOWK 531

presentation_video: >

Embedded Video

description: >

Week for is asynchronous. Students will read about creating organizational change and the process for determining whether engaging in this macro intervention is appropriate. Students will engage in forums reflecting on the reading, practicing with analysis methods, considering policy, and engaging in scholarship around organizational change. The lecture video provides an example of engaging in decision-making for organizational change in action. The agenda for the lecture video includes:

  • Week four asynchronous content
  • Example of decision-making for organizational change

Learning Objectives this week include:

  • Apply how a decision to make an organizational change can be made
  • Analyze whether a macro-level organizational change effort is appropriate within a specific agency context.
  • Apply force-field analysis to assess driving and restraining forces influencing organizational change.
  • Critically examine scholarship on organizational change and connect research findings to real-world macro practice.

Week Four Plan

Agenda

  • Week four asynchronous content
  • Example of decision-making for organizational change

Learning Objective

  • Apply how a decision to make an organizational change can be made

Asynchronous Tasks For Week Four

Read Chapter 6

Fill out google doc

Complete Four Replies Across Any Forum

  • Chapter Six Textbook Questions
  • Example Using Force Field Analysis
  • Formal and Informal Policies Examples
  • Initial Application of PREPARE and Practicum Site
  • Scholarship of Organizational Change

PREPARE

Apply to HU and changing curriculum schedule for Working with FGI and School Social Work

  1. Identify problems to address. Substep 1: Decide to seriously evaluate the potential for macro-level intervention.
    Substep 2: Define and prioritize problems.
    Substep 3: Translate problems into needs.
    Substep 4: Determine which need or needs you will address.

  2. Review your macro and personal reality. Substep 1: Evaluate macro variables working for or against you in the macro-change process. These variables include the following:

    • Resources and funding
    • Constraining regulations or laws
    • Internal political climate
    • External political climate
    • Other factors

    Substep 2: Review your personal strengths and weaknesses that may support or hinder successful change efforts. Summary Outline of the Process

  3. Establish primary goals.
  4. Identify relevant people of influence.
  5. Assess potential costs and benefits to clients and agency.

  6. Review professional and personal risk. Questions you might ask include the following:

    • Could I lose my job?
    • Will my career path be affected?
    • Will I strain interpersonal relationships at work?
  7. Evaluate the potential success of a macro-change process. Substep 1: Review the process and weigh the pros and cons of proceeding.
    Substep 2: Identify possible macro approaches to use, estimate their effectiveness, and select the most appropriate one