Implementing change in public sector organizations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the importance of various change principles in assisting change in three public sector organizations. Design/methodology/approach The researchers carried out interviews and used focus groups in assessing the principles and strategies which would be more useful. Findings The interview and focus group results in three public sector organizations suggest that forming a guiding coalition might be one of the most important principles to observe. Research limitations/implications The research data used for illustration are based on case evidence and the anecdotal interpretation of change in three settings. The paper does not claim to offer a scientific conclusion. Practical implications The goal is to encourage a discussion on whether or not certain principles or strategies should be more important. Originality/value The paper reviews the literature on change and reviews these principles in real experiences. Much of the other literature is conceptual.