Successful organizations evolve steadily. Following a cycle that starts with a policy or approach that is no longer relevant and effective, these organizations comes around over time to a new paradigm, or a new framework for acting and understanding. The stages of paradigm shift in an organization parallel the changes in theoretical understanding that the scientific theorist Thomas Kuhn described in his 1963 book, "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions." An organization that understands these stages can embrace change rather than fearing it, reaping the benefit of new ideas and approaches.
The pre-paradigm phase, know as the prescience stage in Kuhn's work, provides the background out of which change begins to occur. An organization may have been founded without a clear mission, or its mission may begin to evolve in response to changing conditions or new ideas. The lack of clear mission or the gap between the organization's current format and its ability to thrive sets the stage for emergence of a new, more effective paradigm.
During the "normal science" stage, an organization develops a working format or approach, and begins operating according to these ideas. During this stage, an idea comes into common usage, but has not yet been explored and tested. As an organization transforms, it implements new systems and objectives, but these ideas must be tested in practice to reveal their potential and their shortcomings.
Model Drift and Crisis
As an organization explores a newly implemented model for operating and integrating information, it inevitably encounters systemic difficulties. No model is perfect, even though it may represent a profound advance over an outdated approach. The model drift and crisis stages encompass the period when difficulties are coming to light. Although this phase is challenging and even sometimes painful, it provides vital feedback that leads to more successful systems overall.
Model Revolution Stage
When a paradigm shift occurs in an organization, the difficulties that have come to light during the model drift and crisis phases become so critical that they cannot be resolved through tinkering alone. The model itself must change. During the model revolution phase, some members of the organization embrace change before others who retain allegiance to the old model, causing internal friction.
Once a critical mass of an organization's members embrace the ideas introduced during the model revolution phase, a paradigm shift occurs. Ideas that had previously been novel and controversial become commonplace and accepted. This acceptance sets the stage for future cycles, as new paradigms eventually become normal science, and in turn are questioned and overhauled.
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