Reay et al. (2006) Small wins and microprocesses of change

Question 1

microprocesses

Answer 1

The concept of “microprocesses” refers to the small, incremental steps that actors take to institute change in their organizations. These microprocesses involve:
- cultivating opportunities for change by identifying and creating openings for introducing new practices
- fitting a new role into prevailing systems by aligning the new practices with the existing norms and values of the organization,
- proving the value of the new role by demonstrating the benefits of the new practices to the organization.

Question 2

small wins

Answer 2

The concept of “small wins” refers to the small, incremental successes that actors achieve as they work to institute change. These small wins serve as markers of progress and help to consolidate gains, as well as facilitate continuing change efforts by providing motivation and momentum.

Question 3

embeddedness

Answer 3

The researchers found that most accounts of institutional change focus on the concept of “embeddedness” as a constraint on change, but their study showed that embeddedness can also provide the foundation and opportunity for change. Embeddedness refers to the extent to which actors are connected to and influenced by their social and organizational contexts. The researchers found that actors’ motivations and the contexts in which they operate are important factors in understanding how institutionalized activities change. They suggested that actors’ agency can be understood by examining how they navigate and negotiate their embeddedness in their contexts.

Question 4

Key message:

Answer 4

In this study, the researchers sought to understand how individual actors institute changes in established ways of working in organizations. They developed a theoretical model to show how actors legitimize new practices through three interdependent, recursive, and situated microprocesses: cultivating opportunities for change, fitting a new role into prevailing systems, and proving the value of the new role. These microprocesses are marked by a series of small wins that consolidate gains and facilitate continuing change efforts.