Burke–Litwin Model
The Burke–Litwin model is a causal model of organizational performance and change published by W. Warner Burke and George Litwin in 1992. It links 12 organizational factors, from the external environment to individual and organizational performance, and separates transformational factors, which change the organization's nature, from transactional factors, which shape day-to-day work.
Quick facts
- Originator
- W. Warner Burke & George H. Litwin
- Year / source
- 1992, "A Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change", Journal of Management 18(3)
- Type
- Diagnostic (causal model)
- Focus
- The whole organization
- Elements
- 12 factors, grouped as transformational and transactional, plus performance as the outcome
- Best for
- Diagnosing the causes of performance problems before a deep change
- Exam relevance
- Not in the APMG Foundation syllabus
What are the 12 factors of the Burke–Litwin model?
The model arranges twelve boxes from top to bottom, with arrows showing the main direction of influence and feedback loops running back up.
| Factor | Group |
|---|---|
| External environment | Input to the system |
| Mission and strategy | Transformational |
| Leadership | Transformational |
| Organizational culture | Transformational |
| Structure | Transactional |
| Management practices | Transactional |
| Systems (policies and procedures) | Transactional |
| Work unit climate | Transactional |
| Task requirements and individual skills | Transactional |
| Individual needs and values | Transactional |
| Motivation | Transactional |
| Individual and organizational performance | Outcome |
Some summaries count the external environment as a transformational factor.
The Burke–Litwin model therefore gives a full map of the organization, with a stated direction of cause and effect.
What is the difference between transformational and transactional factors?
Transformational factors concern the organization's identity and direction. Changing them, usually in response to the external environment, changes how the whole organization behaves, and the effect cascades down the model.
Transactional factors concern everyday operations: how work is structured, managed and rewarded. Changing them improves performance within the current identity, without a shift in mission or culture.
The distinction builds on the difference between transformational and transactional leadership described by James MacGregor Burns, and the climate factors draw on Litwin's earlier work on organizational climate.
The Burke–Litwin model therefore helps a change team decide whether a problem calls for deep change or for operational improvement.
How do you use the Burke–Litwin model to diagnose an organization?
Larchfield Logistics is losing contracts to faster competitors. Leaders first plan a new performance-bonus scheme.
A diagnosis with the model collects data on each box through interviews and a staff survey, then follows the arrows:
- External environment: customers now expect same-day delivery.
- Mission and strategy: the strategy still prizes low cost over speed.
- Culture: caution and sign-offs slow every decision.
- Transactional boxes: systems and climate reflect those upstream choices.
The diagnosis suggests that a bonus scheme, a transactional fix, would not touch the cause. The change needs to start with strategy and culture.
Used this way, the Burke–Litwin model stops a team from treating a transformational problem with a transactional remedy.
What are the limitations of the Burke–Litwin model?
The model's strengths are its breadth and its explicit causal logic, which few organizational models offer.
It is demanding to use. Gathering good data on twelve factors takes time, survey design and analysis skills. With twelve boxes and many arrows, it can be hard to communicate to the people affected.
The causal links are a hypothesis. Burke and Litwin supported them with theory, research and consulting practice rather than a full test.
Like other diagnostic models, it says what to change but not how to lead people through the change.
The Burke–Litwin model is therefore best used for a thorough diagnosis, paired with a process model for delivery.
Burke–Litwin model vs. McKinsey 7-S: what is the difference?
| Burke–Litwin model | McKinsey 7-S framework | |
|---|---|---|
| Originator | W. Warner Burke & George Litwin (1992) | Waterman, Peters & Phillips (1980) |
| Elements | Twelve factors, including the external environment | Seven interdependent elements |
| Logic | Causal: factors are arranged with a direction of influence | Network: every element is linked to every other |
| Distinction | Transformational vs. transactional factors | Hard vs. soft elements |
| Main use | Diagnose causes of performance and plan deep change | Check alignment and scope the impact of a change |
Use the Burke–Litwin model when the external environment and causal links between factors need analysis; use the 7-S framework for a quick, broad alignment check.
FAQ
What are the transformational factors in the Burke–Litwin model?
The transformational factors are mission and strategy, leadership and organizational culture. They concern the organization's identity and direction, and they usually change in response to the external environment, which some summaries also count as transformational. Changing them affects every factor below them in the model.
What are the transactional factors in the Burke–Litwin model?
The transactional factors are structure, management practices, systems (policies and procedures), work unit climate, task requirements and individual skills, individual needs and values, and motivation. They shape everyday work and can be improved without changing the organization's mission or culture.
Why is the Burke–Litwin model called a causal model?
Burke and Litwin arranged the factors with arrows showing which ones influence which, mainly from the external environment down to performance, with feedback loops back up. The model therefore makes claims about cause and effect, not only about which factors exist.
What is the difference between the Burke–Litwin model and McKinsey 7-S?
McKinsey 7-S has seven interlinked elements split into hard and soft, with no direction of influence. The Burke–Litwin model has twelve factors, includes the external environment and arranges them causally, separating transformational from transactional factors.
Sources
- Burke, W. W. & Litwin, G. H. (1992). A Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change. Journal of Management, 18(3), 523–545.
- Burke, W. W. (2018). Organization Change: Theory and Practice (5th ed.). SAGE.
- Last reviewed