Many organizations are in a desperate need to overhaul how they do business. Hence, the interest in re-engineering, which advocates a total restructuring of operations around core work processes.

Its message is that incremental change is doomed to fail. Organizations must "start from scratch" and transform themselves in almost every regard.

But there is an enormous danger in how re-engineering is being sold. A mythology is developing in which incremental and quantum change are presented as opposites.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

True, there is a big difference between incremental and quantum change when we talk about results. A 500-per-cent improvement is in a different league than a 5 or 10-per-cent gain.

But when we look at the process, a different view emerges. A quantum improvement of 500 per cent is rarely achieved at a single stroke.

The irony of re-engineering and other change ideas is that they are usually "sold" and "driven" on the promise of quantum results. Yet these results must be achieved incrementally - through significant actions and interventions that can make the change a reality.

To illustrate, go back to the premises of re-engineering, and to the claims of its major advocates, consultants Michael Hammer and James Champy, that "business ree-ngineering means starting all over, starting from scratch."

No organization that has a history, a work force, an existing culture, a current business to sustain, or a labour union can start from scratch. That's why so many re-engineering projects end up running into trouble, especially in the implementation stages.

"Starting from scratch" underplays the fact that significant redesign has to be planned and implemented in a real-life context that won't go away. Hospitals re-engineering projects run into the problems of physician power. Government projects are often stifled by a context where people can't see the need for fundamental change.

In manufacturing and service organizations, plans to implement a new way of doing business are often undermined by the thinking and mindsets of the old way. These realities have to be actively managed and changed if the new initiatives are to succeed.

Just look at the detailed history of re-engineering projects. Quantum change comes as managers learn to target key aspects of their business that need to be re-engineered. They become skilled in launching pilot projects, build the required momentum at middle and lower ranks, and generate commitment and trust from key players. They build a context in which the re-engineering project can thrive, managing problems and contingencies as they arise.

Incremental and quantum change are intertwined. As we set our sights on those 500-per-cent improvements, remember they're usually delivered through 5, 10 and 15-per-cent significant initiatives. These include:

• The selection of the right champion to lead the project.
• A well-balanced team that combines a range of skills and perspectives.
• A CEO who lends just the right amount of support.
• A sound technical redesign
• A group of customers who can evaluate proposed changes from an external point of view.
• An ability to address the dilemmas, fears and concerns of those influenced by the change.

Each of these may, in itself, involve small initiatives within the overall redesign. But their leverage can have a dramatic influence on outcomes and success. Gareth Morgan is Distinguished Research Professor in the Schulich School of Business at York University, Toronto, and author of Imaginization: The Art of Creative Management.

Other resources related to creating quantum change include:

The Art of Managing Context

Creating Quantum Change: Incrementally!!!

Finding Your 15%: The Art of Mobilizing Small Changes to Produce Large Effects

Living with Contradictions: Managing Paradox