How should one implement and bring about changes in one’s workplace or company? Some say the top-down approach is good while others feel that the bottom-up approach is best.

However,according to the contingency school, the choice of an appropriate strategy and the implementation diagnosis consist of assessing eight independent variables or factors in the organizations.

1. Available time (short / long)
2. Clarity of the need for change (clear to all / clear to few)
3. Organization size (small / large)
4. Effects of existing controls and incentives (encourage initiative / encourage focus)
5. Organizational concentration of relevant knowledge (concentrated at top / concentrated at bottom)
6. Expectations of people regarding involvement in implementation (none / extensive)
7. Potential resistance (small / great)
8. Total power base of change agent (great / small)

Thus, for example, if there is very little time variable, the crisis or need for change is clear to all, if it is a small organization and so on, then the appropriate change strategy is top-down, directive and fast; while if clarity for need to change is not apparent and the organization size is relatively large, then the appropriate change strategy would needs be bottom – up.