ABSTRACT
This chapter concentrates on more 'practical' issues by using theory in the manner of K. Lewin. A theory adopted to explain the patterns of change is derived from the life cycle concept. Such a concept is not a novelty. The idea of stages in the organizational life cycle has also been applied by several recent authors, including Heckscher (1994), who argues that organizations, similar to living creatures, tend to develop more sophisticated forms of existence. Van de Ven and Poole (1995) also analyze how theories, developed by a wide range of authors, fit into the model of the four ideal types of organizational change. The natural environment, as the frame for the survival of humankind, is also endangered in many ways. The application of bureaucratic principles assists managers once the organization outgrows its information-processing abilities. However, during the maturity stage of the organizational life cycle, bureaucracy becomes ubiquitous.
