Radical intrapersonal change: three usual suspects, one unusual organizational context

Abstract

As organizational change becomes more radical, frequent, and unpredictable, our knowledge of the mechanisms governing change at the intrapersonal or within-person level remains limited. In this systematic review of the management and I/O psychology literatures, we offer a novel theoretically based definition of radical change taking place within an individual. Drawing on the theories of dissonance and attitudes toward change, we also present a conceptual model that merges cognitive, affective, and motivational dimensions to explain how an individual’s goal pursuit and achievement are influenced by radical change. In doing so, we move away from studying change at the ‘macro’ organizational level to focus instead on the processes underpinning one’s personal radical change. We further differentiate these processes between two important role occupiers, namely change agents and recipients, and recommend that future scholars consider other boundary conditions and mediating mechanisms. Finally, we conclude with some research-based implications for managerial praxis. We urge future researchers and practitioners to try to better understand the self-transformative experience that is ‘radical change’ and to incorporate this deeper understanding in their theorizing and practice, respectively.