An organizational change perspective on the value of modeling

The modeling activity is central to management science practice since it can facilitate the systematic investigation of problems and issues faced by organizations. In this paper we argue that management science modeling can also initiate significant organizational change, even in the absence of a successful implementation. We categorize these changes as (1) knowledge creation and dissemination; and (2) altered coordination and communication patterns. We illustrate our points using numerous examples and two brief cases, one American and one French. Both cases are successful implementations, but both also provide additional, identifiable benefits that can be linked to the notion of organizational change. We conclude with a set of recommendations for the modeler.