Change Agent Research and Organizational Change

Abstract

Change Agent Research (CAR) is a "people" change approach that con trasts what a group (or individual) thinks it is doing with the actual behavior that exists. CAR was first applied in the area of sport organiza tion and administration, with the Windsor Little League. In three phases, organizational audit and feedback (personal and audiovisual observa tion, interviews, and opinionnaires), treatment (including clinics) and development of change agents, and reaudit and packaging of CAR, the espoused aims of the program were clarified and contrasted to the competitive behavior demonstrated, and ten action directives were for mulated to reduce internal strain in the league structure and allow mod eration of the behavior of participants. The applicability of CAR methodology to other organizations is discussed.