ابتکار ایمیل زیرو: بررسی انتقادی مدیریت تغییر در هنگام معرفی شبکه های اجتماعی سازمانی Zero Email initiative: a critical review of Change Management during the introduction of Enterprise Social Networks

Introduction Have you ever been in a situation, where you were completely convinced and enthusiastic about ‘‘something’’? A ‘‘something’’ that would solve multiple problems at once leading to overall improvements and profits that everybody would benefit from. A ‘‘something’’ where the necessity was crystal clear to you and was supported by valid arguments and profound research that supported all your assumptions scientifically. A solution that all stakeholders would benefit from as soon as everybody was on board. There was no doubt that you will receive endless glory and a life-size statue of yourself for your inspiring and worldchanging solution. You first introduce your ‘‘something’’ to a friend… ‘‘Yes, great… you should absolutely do that’’. Then, you explain to your peers…‘‘Hmmm… but this ‘‘something’’ would interrupt another already existing ‘‘something’’ (actually a ‘‘something’’ the peers had once received a live-size statue for) which still works fine after several years and, unfortunately, you need to realize that a third ‘‘something’’ already needs our full attention at the moment; and, by the way, Mr. Somebody (a very important somebody you never met) once said something about that this kind of ‘‘something’’ you mention does not work’’. Still interested in managing change? It is a rough road with twists and turns; full of emotions and challenges, but crucial for building up organizations and necessary when learning about how organizational development works (or does not work). Organizations face serious challenges when implementing change on a large scale in complex environments. As a precondition, Change Management (CM) requires thorough planning and an execution attitude that consists of positivity and endurance, especially, within organizational development that is closely intertwined with CM. Change within organizations starts with diverse initiatives to enforce strategical, tactical, and operative measures to achieve the desired change goals. In cost-driven markets, organizations often express their change intentions, but they also need to mobilize dedicated and shared resources to conduct the change successfully (Beer and Nohria 2000; Creasey 2016). A very prominent example of organizational development and organizational change is illustrated by the approach of Atos with their target of abolishing email from internal communication. ‘‘We are producing data on a massive scale that is fast polluting our working environments and also encroaching into our personal lives. At Atos we are taking action now to reverse this trend, just as organisations took measures to reduce environmental pollution after the industrial revolution’’—Thierry Breton, 2011 (Atos 2017b). With this statement, Atos Chairman and CEO Thierry Breton announced the so-called Zero Email initiative in 2011 with the ambitious goal of eliminating all internal emails at Atos within the next 3 years (Atos 2013).