The Sting of Organization: Command, Reciprocity and Change Management

Examines the structure of command in organizations and the use of “fear” to bring people into line during periods of rapid change. Details problems experienced by organizations who, though good at coping with crises, do not know what to do to maintain momentum without engineering the next crisis. Goes on to consider the implications of structure to organizational relationships and uses the concept of the “sting” to illustrate this – whereby an individual acts on a command, but the sting is an objection to such an obeyed command or act of deference, which can impede later organizational relationships between individuals and groups. A short case study of Hong Kong Telecom is used to highlight reactions to change.