- Email: [email protected]
Communicating for change: Connecting the workplace with the marketplace
Communicating for Change: Connecting the Workplace with the Marketplace, by Roger D’Aprix. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1996. $28.95. 158~. ISBN o-7879-0199-7. LC 952.5894. D’Aprix, a communication consultant and former executive in communications, has written a book for managers and other “change agents” on the critical need for strong, consistent communication in today’s increasingly changing work environment. While most of the book addresses concerns of corporate America, his advice is also powerful for educational organizations, particularly the rapidly-changing library world. D’Aprix begins by noting that certain types of resistance to change are natural, and should be respected. His first chapter describes the environment most organizations find themselves in, one of change and often turmoil. He explains his point of view: “I see change not as some dreaded set of awful events beyond our control but as a positive and inevitable force that invites us to share an adventure into the unknown”(pp.2-3). The following chapters outline his philosophy with discussion of the role of effective, sometimes creative, communication in successful organizational change. Most intriguing is the concept of “connecting” with change as opposed to “managing” change. He explores the idea that change is not “a linear, progressive series of events all connected to one another” (p. 14). The strongest parts of this book are those that look at change from the viewpoint of all affected. He covers the differences between two common types of organizational communication: reactive communication and market-based strategic communication. Reactive communication is the more familiar model, wherein management tells employees what is going on. While sometimes necessary, this model lacks the connections between “their work and the organization’s strategies and goals . ..” (p. 45). Market-based strategic communication connects the organization’s vision, mission, and goals to the realities of the marketplace, giving a clear picture to all employees about the role of their work in meeting the organization’s goals. This is his preferred model, and its implementation forms the rest of the book. Following a detailed description of this type of communication, he discusses how this can be achieved with chapters on the role of leader, the challenges to communication, and the concept of trust in the workplace. Overall, this is a refreshing addition to the literature of change and communication. While the focus was on corporate organizations, the contents are valuable for other organizations as well, including academic libraries. This book is recommended, both for collections and to be read by library leaders.-Sharon L. Bostick, University Librarian, University of Massachusetts at Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 021253393 [email protected]>. Creating the Future: Essays on Librarians in an Age of Great Change, edited by Sally G. Reed. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Co., 1996. 276~. $35.00. ISBN o-7864-0236-9. LC 96- 15089. Reed has provided an excellent overview of the current state of librarianship. The 15 essays were written by many of the leading thinkers and practitioners in librarianship. As might be expected from such an all-star cast, the essays are literate, informative, and occasionally thought-provoking. Unlike so many collections, the topics of the individual essays are so well selected that the book provides a first-rate introduction to cur-
326
The Journal
of Academic
Librarianship
rent trends and issues confronting libraries. In fact, one of the virtues of the text is that it does a superb job of capturing the leading issues facing the library profession. In addition, the text provides an excellent overview of the state of the art in librarianship as well as a fine summary of what leading library professionals think about the future directions of their profession. Some of the common themes that run through many of the essays are that librarians must: l
l
Become more customer oriented; Lobby to protect the public good and freedom of information;
l
Become more proactive in the political arena; and
l
Increase their technical and computer expertise.
Despite its many virtues, Creating the Future suffers from some serious limitations. For a start, it is somewhat surprising that most of the authors blithely assume that the mission and the purpose of the library will not be fundamentally altered by advances in information technology. For instance, Reed notes that “librarianship is in a period of great transition” (p. 1); nevertheless, she retains her passionate belief that “our traditional values, those values which have shaped the core and direction of library services for the last century, are still valid.” Perhaps, this belief that the library will somehow remain basically unchanged is simply one more example that professionalswho have a strong personal and emotional investment in the status quo-are invariably reluctant to embrace a new paradigm that requires them to learn new skills and behavior.’ In any book dealing with the future of the library, it only seems logical that some of the chapters would have an in-depth discussion of possible ways in which advances in digital technology could revolutionize the delivery of information. At the very least, there should have been some discussion of how digital technology is replacing traditional distribution channels with electronic channels. In particular, there is considerable evidence already available in business literature that ‘when customers shift to electronic distribution channels, traditional channels wither.“* But why should librarians find the shift to electronic distribution channels a cause for concern? Simply stated, one of the historic roles of the library has been to serve as a distribution channel. Like all such channels, libraries have served to link products (documents) with customers. According to D. Tapscott and A. Caston, electronic channels typically move closer to the customer;3 in effect, intermediaries in the distribution channels, such as libraries, are no longer needed. For a book that is supposed to be looking at the future of libraries, it was surprising to see that the authors focused, almost exclusively, on library literature. Only Barbara I. Dewey drew upon the findings and research available in business literature. Normally, it is standard procedure to begin any discussion of possible futures and strategic planning by conducting a scan of the organization’s environment. Unfortunately, this important step was omitted. As a result, the reader does not learn about key technological developments, such as neural networks, data mining, and intranets that are already revolutionizing business practices.4 Similarly, the reader does not learn about scenario building or how scenario building might be used as a tool to learn more about the possible futures that may confront libraries.’ In short, the authors of Creating the Future seem, at times, to be driving into the future with their eyes firmly glued to the rear view mirror.
326
The Journal
of Academic
Librarianship
rent trends and issues confronting libraries. In fact, one of the virtues of the text is that it does a superb job of capturing the leading issues facing the library profession. In addition, the text provides an excellent overview of the state of the art in librarianship as well as a fine summary of what leading library professionals think about the future directions of their profession. Some of the common themes that run through many of the essays are that librarians must: l
l
Become more customer oriented; Lobby to protect the public good and freedom of information;
l
Become more proactive in the political arena; and
l
Increase their technical and computer expertise.
Despite its many virtues, Creating the Future suffers from some serious limitations. For a start, it is somewhat surprising that most of the authors blithely assume that the mission and the purpose of the library will not be fundamentally altered by advances in information technology. For instance, Reed notes that “librarianship is in a period of great transition” (p. 1); nevertheless, she retains her passionate belief that “our traditional values, those values which have shaped the core and direction of library services for the last century, are still valid.” Perhaps, this belief that the library will somehow remain basically unchanged is simply one more example that professionalswho have a strong personal and emotional investment in the status quo-are invariably reluctant to embrace a new paradigm that requires them to learn new skills and behavior.’ In any book dealing with the future of the library, it only seems logical that some of the chapters would have an in-depth discussion of possible ways in which advances in digital technology could revolutionize the delivery of information. At the very least, there should have been some discussion of how digital technology is replacing traditional distribution channels with electronic channels. In particular, there is considerable evidence already available in business literature that ‘when customers shift to electronic distribution channels, traditional channels wither.“* But why should librarians find the shift to electronic distribution channels a cause for concern? Simply stated, one of the historic roles of the library has been to serve as a distribution channel. Like all such channels, libraries have served to link products (documents) with customers. According to D. Tapscott and A. Caston, electronic channels typically move closer to the customer;3 in effect, intermediaries in the distribution channels, such as libraries, are no longer needed. For a book that is supposed to be looking at the future of libraries, it was surprising to see that the authors focused, almost exclusively, on library literature. Only Barbara I. Dewey drew upon the findings and research available in business literature. Normally, it is standard procedure to begin any discussion of possible futures and strategic planning by conducting a scan of the organization’s environment. Unfortunately, this important step was omitted. As a result, the reader does not learn about key technological developments, such as neural networks, data mining, and intranets that are already revolutionizing business practices.4 Similarly, the reader does not learn about scenario building or how scenario building might be used as a tool to learn more about the possible futures that may confront libraries.’ In short, the authors of Creating the Future seem, at times, to be driving into the future with their eyes firmly glued to the rear view mirror.