Realignment and the process of change at the Naval Postgraduate School

Abstract

Few studies have focused on the effects of change within a military graduate institution where military and academic subcultures coexist. This research focused on the 2001 organizational change at the Naval Postgraduate School. The purpose was to identify how change was approached and implemented. Our analysis revealed that this change process implemented across the organization affected the intensity of sub-cultural conflict within the organization. In the case of NPS, we found that an authoritarian military style of change negatively impacted the existing academic subculture. The pressure of a change effort that was not representative of both subcultures served to increase the intensity of conflict between the military and academic subcultures, thus jeopardizing the ability for the two to work together. This study contributes to and amplifies existing theory through the examination of organizational change in a unique military/academic environment. It is important for change agents to understand how these factors are interrelated so that the intensity of cultural conflict can be better managed.