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AbstractThere is a vast literature on organizational change, but research on a key aspect of organizational change, the tactics used by change leaders, is limited. To address this gap, a questionnaire assessing the use of organizational change tactics has been used to allow an organization's staff to describe an organizational change initiative they had experienced. This study also included an interview with the agency's director of programs, an interview with two other staff, document analysis, and pre–post client outcome data. Findings showed the extent to which these tactics were observed and were seen as useful in achieving the change goal, offering guidance for change leaders considering organizational change tactics, and for researchers by advancing methods for studying organizational change. Results were also contrasted with those of an earlier study to identify common themes.

This article summarizes results of a study of programs providing workforce and educational development services for high-risk youth. A model of management functioning and program performance is used as a structure for program staff to rate the relative importance of selected inputs (clients, staff, resources, etc.) and throughputs (management and service delivery processes, framed here as management and program capacity) as they affect results. Factors seen to be most important in affecting performance included adequate funding for the program, leaders having a positive attitude, staff being motivated and committed, a facilitative organizational structure, and a budgeting process which ensures effective resource allocation. Because performance measurement is seen as multidimensional and socially constructed, findings also include respondents' opinions on the most relevant measures of performance. These results can provide insights and guidance to researchers and agency managers regarding studying and improving organizational performance.