Abstract

This study explored whether an adaptation, an inertia or an integrated perspective more appropriately described the impact of ISO9000 quality system in the Taiwan electric industry. The adaptation and inertia perspective had been viewed as contradictory viewpoints, but the authors argued that the adaptive and inertia forces were woven into the fabric of organizational change behavior. The event history analyses were used to test an adaptive, an inertia and integrated model. Results indicated that adaptation and inertia were complementary rather than contradictory viewpoints and an integrative approach to the study of organizational change were suggested.