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Gestion Anglais PDF
Gestion Anglais PDF
Gestión, n°105, p. 23 à 35
T. Coleman
Doctoral Student
Benedictine University
(USA)
Peter Sorensen
PhD, Professor
Benedictine University
(USA)
Therese Yaeger
PhD, Professor
Benedictine University
(USA)
Introduction
The purpose of this study is to report on an Action Research
project in an early childhood education organization that is actively
engaged in a cultural transformation initiative. Using an Action
Research process we identified which levers contributed to a positive
cultural transformation which hopefully will prove to be a catalyst for
future Action Researchers, as well as organization development
professionals.
Prior to the transformation, the new leadership team and team
members understood that the necessity of a cultural transformation
was mandatory for the organization to maintain its status within the
communities it serves which includes maintaining employee’s
dedication and performance levels. The shift was happening due to a
decrease in market share, high attrition rates among all sectors of
employees, and cultural challenges due to the rapid changes in
executive leadership throughout the years.
The research methodology used in this particular Action
Research study included both family and employee engagement
results and performance data. The findings also contribute to
understanding an Action Research study with the full context and
historical value of why this research is important not only for other
early childhood development organizations, but to organizations in
general.
Background
The conceptual reasoning for an Action Research project is
explained in three phases:
1. The history of the organization
2. The current state of the organization
3. The desired future state of the organization
History
The history of the organization is complex in nature. It is the a
large early childhood education provider with thousands of
employees. The organization and its employees have gone through
tremendous changes in the past several years. In the past five years,
the organization has gone through a total of four CEOs which is an
unusual number of leaders for one organization. Many changes and
transitions must be considered each time a new CEO is appointed in
26 Tanjia COLEMAN, Peter SORENSEN & Therese YAEGER
Current State
The current state of the organization consists of an
insurmountable number of changes within the past five years
including executive leadership, regional reallocations, reorganizations,
financial loss and compensation structural changes. The organization
consisted of three businesses that were addressed from a cultural
transformation perspective; namely a) the Stand-Alone Early
Development Childhood Centers; b) Before and After School Care
and School-Aged Summer Camps; and c) Client Sponsored Centers.
The Stand-Alone Early Development Childhood Centers.
These centers are responsible for the majority of the organization’s
revenue. Ages range from infants and toddlers up to pre-kindergarten
age children.
Before and After School Care and School-Aged Summer
Camps. This is the smallest revenue generating entity of the three
businesses. It has the fewest number of employees and children in
programs, but proved to be a complicated business due to the
management team interactions, not only with high level administrators
but also with coordinating multiple part-time schedules for employees.
Client Sponsored Centers. These centers were sponsored
generally by large private and public organizations generally
subsidized for their employees as part of their overall retention and
benefit plans. They pose the most complex business model because
not only do operators have to adhere to the demands of the families,
they also must have executive presence to communicate and manage
the expectations of the clients.
CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION: CHILDHOOD CARE ORGANIZATION 27
REFERENCES