This study develops a framework for transformational change in institutions of higher education that is both theoretically and empirically grounded and is context based. It reports on six ethnographic case studies of six institutions over a four year period. The six institutions in the study and their change initiatives included one research university (reconceptualizing the goals of general education and faculty roles); three doctoral-granting universities (changing faculty roles and rewards, creating a more rigorous academic environment, and integrating technology into the teaching and learning process); a liberal arts college (creating a campus community grounded in civic responsibility); and a community college (becoming more student centered). Qualitative research techniques were used including interviews, participant observation, site visits, and document analysis. The key findings included: identification of five core strategies for transformational change, all of which facilitated organizational sensemaking; (2) the important inter-relationship among core and secondary strategies and the non-linear change process; (3) the need for balance among strategies; (4) the importance of social cognition models for future studies of transformational change; and (5) the efficacy of combining multiple conceptual models. An appendix provides definitions of core and sub strategies. (Contains 60 references.) (Author/DB)