A hermeneutic approach to praxis through understanding and action for change

Attempts toward understanding and accepting change normally propels management's quest for 'method.' Professions are inundated with many 'methods' and 'fads' which become obsolete, are replaced and often reappear under new titles. Managers find themselves thrown into careers without an appropriate or proper history, and ill-prepared in communicative competence. Managers and workers are out of touch with customer needs. Managers are found not committed, not cooperative, and often not competent to produce change. This traditional approach to change is a common occurrence in our technical society.; I examined a paradigm for use as a practical activity. Research participants selected held positions of leadership reflective of global organizations. Specifically, I examined the rationality-in-use by male and female leaders identified in three major organizational settings: business, the military and education. The study was a critical inquiry into three hermeneutic categories: (1) Role of understanding through discourse, (2) possibility for action and (3) praxis leading to organizational change. A critical examination exposed commonalities provoking change within each of the categories.; The data indicated a common ontology apparent in organizational change among the three organizations. Leadership roles are expanding and becoming more challenging in todays' contemporary society.; As a result of this research project, the quest of looking for the ideal methodology is over. Although answers will always be coming in, they should still be sought through understanding. I do not so much as imply that the questions proposed in this study have been completely answered. What I realize is that there are as many different understandings as there are people. Only when individuals share experience through dialogue can the possibility of understanding be attainable. Daily actions, the journey to understanding, results in change. Not accepting change indicates a paradigm grounded in methodology versus relying upon the understanding when open to new possibilities.; This study provides a paradigm for critical inquiry needed to build an appropriate emancipatory theory for a global scenario.