Organization Change

Organizational change is the process through which an organisation moves from the present state to an improved state.

Change management comprises three elements: evolution of the firm, its management and organization, and the people who work for it.

Three levels of change are observed: individual level, group level, and organisations.

Nature of Change

» vital if a company were to avoid stagnation; » a process and not an event; » normal and constant; » fast and is likely to increase further in the present competitive

business; » ‘directive’, that is, implemented by ‘top down’ management or

‘participative’, that is, involving those parties impacted by change; » is ‘natural’, that is, evolutionary or ‘adaptive’, that is, a reaction to

external circumstances and pressures; » is ‘incremental’, that is continuous small changes or ‘step’, that is,

radical shift from current to new processes; and » is interdependent on organizational environment or culture.3

Types of change

Evolutionary change and revolutionary change

Reactive change & proactive change

Forces for Change

Force Examples

Nature of the workforce More cultural diversityAging populationMany new entrants with inadequate skills

Technology Faster, cheaper, and more mobile computersOn-line music sharingDeciphering of the human genetic code

Economic shocks Rise and fall of stocks Global economy slowdown

Competition Global competitors

Mergers and consolidationsGrowth of e-commerce

Forces for Change

Force Examples

Social trends Internet chat rooms Retirement of Baby BoomersRise in discount and “big box” retailers

World politics Iraq–U.S. war

Opening of markets in China War on terrorism following 9/11/01Outsourcing noise

Managing Planned Change

Goals of Planned Change:

Improving the ability of the organization to adapt to changes in its environment.

Changing the behavior of individuals and groups in the organization.

ChangeMaking things different.Planned ChangeActivities that are intentional and goal oriented.

Change AgentsPersons who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing change activities.

Resistance to Change

Forms of Resistance to Change– Overt and immediate

• Voicing complaints, engaging in job actions

– Implicit and deferred• Loss of employee loyalty and motivation, increased

errors or mistakes, increased absenteeism

• Deferred resistance clouds the link between source and reaction

Sources of Resistance to Change

Sources of Individual Resistance to Change

Sources of Organizational Resistance to Change

Overcoming Resistance to Change

Tactics for dealing with resistance to change:

• Education and communication

• Participation

• Facilitation and support

• Negotiation

• Manipulation and cooptation

• Coercion

Tactics for Overcoming Resistance to Change

Education and Communication– Show those effected the logic behind the change

Participation– Participation in the decision process lessens

resistance Building Support and Commitment

– Counseling, therapy, or new-skills training Implementing Change Fairly

– Be consistent and procedurally fair Manipulation and Cooptation

– “Spinning” the message to gain cooperation Selecting people who accept change

– Hire people who enjoy change in the first place Coercion

– Direct threats and force

Six Methods for Dealing With Resistance to Change

The Politics of Change

Impetus for change is likely to come from outside change agents.

Internal change agents are most threatened by their loss of status in the organization.

Long-time power holders tend to implement only incremental change.

The outcomes of power struggles in the organization will determine the speed and quality of change.

Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model

Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model

Unfreezing– Change efforts to overcome the pressures of

both individual resistance and group conformity

Refreezing– Stabilizing a change intervention by balancing

driving and restraining forces

Force field analysis

• Driving Forces Forces that direct behavior away from the status quo.

• Restraining Forces Forces that hinder movement from the existing equilibrium.

Unfreezing the Status Quo

The Six-Stage Change Process

Kotter’s Eight-Step Plan for Implementing Change

1. Establish a sense of urgency by creating a compelling reason for why change is needed.

2. Form a coalition with enough power to lead the change.3. Create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for

achieving the vision.4. Communicate the vision throughout the organization.5. Empower others to act on the vision by removing barriers to

change and encouraging risk taking and creative problem solving.

6. Plan for, create, and reward short-term “wins” that move the organization toward the new vision.

7. Consolidate improvements, reassess changes, and make necessary adjustments in the new programs.

8. Reinforce the changes by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviors and organizational success.

Kotter’s Eight-Step Plan

Builds from Lewin’s Model

To implement change:1. Establish a sense of urgency2. Form a coalition 3. Create a new vision4. Communicate the vision 5. Empower others by removing barriers6. Create and reward short-term “wins”7. Consolidate, reassess, and adjust8. Reinforce the changes

Unfreezing

Movement

Refreezing