While these terms are often used interchangeably they are actually two distinct areas of practice.
Restructuring involves stabilising an organisation and usually happens over a very short and tight timeframe. It is effectively a three step process:
1. Identifying and examining the challenges the organisation is facing;
2. Reviewing the organisation's current structure; and
3. Changing the current structure to meet the challenges.
Turnaround occurs after the restructuring work is complete. It addresses long term operational matters such as products, markets and organisational structures. By their very nature turnarounds have a longer timeframe than restructurings, with some organisations being in a turnaround situation for a number of years.