Case study of the regional resource center program: a study of organizational change

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the policy, social, and behavioral dynamics of how the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded Regional Resource Centers (RRCs) evolved from individual centers into a national RRC Program. A critical instance study was used to examine the dynamics of how the RRCs have evolved into the national RRC Program, reflecting on policy context which led to the formation of the national Program, the challenges encountered, those that remain and the prospects of institutionalizing organizational change for the future. The investigation incorporated concepts related to Lewin's (1951) traditional perspective of organizational change as contemporary views incorporating Social Identity Theory (SIT). The case study approach used in this investigation involved data collection and analytic methods which encompass aspects of traditional change theory via a Force Field Analysis (FFA), while the method used to capture the more affective components of change was the Organizational Change Recipients' Beliefs Scale (Armenakis et al. 2011). Select staff interviews were also conducted in order to gather more qualitative data to better understand the underpinnings of the change process.This case study revealed a number of common driving and restraining forces that impact the organization's ability to establish equilibrium and move beyond a phase of transition. The convergence of data sources confirmed the identification of driving and restraining forces, which included the Program structure, trust, evaluation, and governance. Five major themes emerged from staff interviews that support the identification of a number of driving and restraining forces. The themes include: importance of relationship building, the role of communication in development of the organization, alignment of Program and state work, RRCP structure and its impact on organizational growth, and professional development. Findings also confirm the current status of the RRCP with regard to organizational socialization, role conflict and resolution, and intergroup relations.