Person-centered insights into organizational change: Identifying and analyzing profiles using latent profile analysis

Organizational change is well-studied, yet remains a fragmented field. While existing theory and research identify various organizational change factors, empirical studies tend to examine these factors in isolation. In this respect, the change field has been ineffective in capturing meaningful profiles or configurations informed by the complex interdependencies among these change factors. This limit contributes to a narrower understanding of organizational change phenomena and how change is studied. To address this gap, we propose a person-centered approach as an accessible and effective approach for studying the underlying profiles that characterizes the complexity of organizational change. This article introduces person-centered research and provides a step-by-step guide to latent profile analysis (LPA), a flagship technique used to analyze profiles. After explaining LPA, we outline essential steps for applying this technique in the context of organizational change, illustrating the value of a person-centered approach in conducting this type of analysis. Offering practical insights for researchers and practitioners, we demonstrate how LPA can uncover hidden profiles of subgroups, providing a more nuanced understanding of organizational change. By making person-centered research more accessible, we promote its use to capture the underlying complexity and diversity of organizational change and its impact on the success of change initiatives. JEL Classification: M50