What direction does change take?
An examination of the relationship between working age and organisational change reveals relationships that are different from the usual
The future is built on both the present and the past. It is a question of experience, of tried and tested practices, of knowledge that is the heritage of the organisation and of the society in which it operates. This applies to businesses as well as social systems. A condition that, it must be stressed, must be welcomed with caution: the past and the present should not prevail over the future, i.e. the desire to do new and different things.
These are the concepts on which Giancarlo Lauto and Gouya Harirchi base their argument in “Quando il cambiamento passa dalla vecchia guardia: come guidare le reazioni degli addetti esperti all’introduzione del lean management” (When change comes from the old guard: how to guide expert staff reaction to the introduction of lean management) a paper featured in a recent issue of Prospettive in organizzazione from the Italian Association of Business Organisation.
In particular, the two scholars focus on the relationship between change and the seniority of the people who have to face it. All in all, it is a fascinating subject because it also deals with generational change in companies, the transfer of knowledge and professionalism within organisations.
Contrary to stereotypes, even senior employees can contribute to the effective introduction of lean management. This is Lauto and Harirchi’s thesis, but they explain that it is necessary for the company to implement a coherent set of human resource management practices, in particular training, and to promote behaviours that actively support change. In other words, if the future is to belong to everyone, everyone must be able to contribute to it and benefit from it.
It is worth reading Giancarlo Lauto and Gouya Harirchi’s research, which sheds light on one of the most controversial but important aspects of good corporate culture.
Giancarlo Lauto, Gouya Harirchi
In Prospettive in organizzazione, Journal of the Italian Association of Business Organisation, 28/2025
An examination of the relationship between working age and organisational change reveals relationships that are different from the usual
The future is built on both the present and the past. It is a question of experience, of tried and tested practices, of knowledge that is the heritage of the organisation and of the society in which it operates. This applies to businesses as well as social systems. A condition that, it must be stressed, must be welcomed with caution: the past and the present should not prevail over the future, i.e. the desire to do new and different things.
These are the concepts on which Giancarlo Lauto and Gouya Harirchi base their argument in “Quando il cambiamento passa dalla vecchia guardia: come guidare le reazioni degli addetti esperti all’introduzione del lean management” (When change comes from the old guard: how to guide expert staff reaction to the introduction of lean management) a paper featured in a recent issue of Prospettive in organizzazione from the Italian Association of Business Organisation.
In particular, the two scholars focus on the relationship between change and the seniority of the people who have to face it. All in all, it is a fascinating subject because it also deals with generational change in companies, the transfer of knowledge and professionalism within organisations.
Contrary to stereotypes, even senior employees can contribute to the effective introduction of lean management. This is Lauto and Harirchi’s thesis, but they explain that it is necessary for the company to implement a coherent set of human resource management practices, in particular training, and to promote behaviours that actively support change. In other words, if the future is to belong to everyone, everyone must be able to contribute to it and benefit from it.
It is worth reading Giancarlo Lauto and Gouya Harirchi’s research, which sheds light on one of the most controversial but important aspects of good corporate culture.
Giancarlo Lauto, Gouya Harirchi
In Prospettive in organizzazione, Journal of the Italian Association of Business Organisation, 28/2025