Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explains a processual approach to change and focuses on change as a processual dynamic rather than as a one-off event or linear sequence of stages. It outlines existing concepts in using data from empirically grounded case studies conducted in a wide range of organizations. The book examines the importance of dialogue and stories, the power-political nature of change and the value of engaging people in orchestrating tasks and activities. It explores some affiliation with more dialogical approaches that are concerned with narratives, stories and sensemaking processes. There is also an interest in the material and social aspects of change and for this, concepts and ideas from science and technology studies and social research in information systems theory are used. Time and temporality in changing organizations are of central significance to the processual researcher.