The actual rhetoric of change in the UK clearing banks

• Main Author: Hughes, Mark
• Published: University of Brighton 1998
• Subjects: 658; Managing change
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.263096

Whilst, the reality of changing organizations is accepted, understanding about the rhetoric of change in organizations is still evolving. This thesis provides new insights into the rhetoric of change in organizations through addressing the following research aims. i. To establish a theoretical framework for classifying change. ii. To identify and analyse the actual rhetoric of change of senior management in the UK clearing banks. iii.To compare the actual rhetoric of change identified in the UK clearing banks against the theoretical framework for classifying change. iv. To develop an Actual Rhetoric of Change Framework. The Annual Reports and Internal Newspapers of Barclays, Lloyds, Midland and National Westminster Bank over the five years 1990 to 1994 were analysed using discourse analysis. This naturally occurring data contained the actual rhetoric of change. In terms of banking change, this thesis makes an original contribution to knowledge by identifying and analysing the actual rhetoric of change in banking. The thesis makes original contributions to knowledge about the rhetoric of changing organizations in two ways. Firstly the development of the literature based Change Classifications Framework. Secondly, through comparing the literature and the data, an Actual Rhetoric of Change Framework was developed. The Actual Rhetoric of Change Framework predicts that change will be depicted in organizations as being challenging, constant, coherent, contextualised and chronological.