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Modelsof Planned Org Change
Modelsof Planned Org Change
Lecture Outline
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Kurt Lewin 3 step model
1.3 Bullock and Batten (1985)
1.4 Kotter’s 8 Step model
1.5 Beckhard and Harris change formula (1987)
1.6 Nadler and Tushman, congruence model
1.7 Action Research model
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this topic, you should be able to:
Understand a range of useful models and ideas developed by some of the
most significant writers on organizational change.
Illustrate the variety of ways in which you can view the process of
organizational change
Understand the assumptions behind a model, benefits and limitations.
1.1 Introduction
- While leaders who recognize or anticipate shifts in their organization’s
external environment may be better placed to initiate change, recognition of a
need (or opportunity) for change may not be sufficient to ensure that it will
happen.
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Nadler and Tushman, congruence model
Metaphors
Model or Machine Political Organism Flux and
approach system Transformation
Lewin, three-step ✓ ✓
model
Bullock and ✓
Batten,
Kotter, eight steps ✓ ✓ ✓
Beckhard and ✓ ✓
Harris, change
formula
Nadler and ✓ ✓
Tushman,
congruence model
- Kurt Lewin (1951) developed his ideas about organizational change from the
perspective of the organism metaphor.
- Lewin is responsible for introducing force field analysis, which examines the
driving and resisting forces in any change situation
- The underlying principle is that driving forces must outweigh resisting forces in
any situation if change is to happen.
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- He considered that, to achieve change effectively, it is necessary to look at all
the options for moving from the existing present to a desired future state, and
then to evaluate the possibilities of each and decide on the best one, rather
than just aiming for the desired goal and taking the straightest and easiest
route to it.
Unfreezing
- Such action can motivate individuals and groups to let go of current ways of
behaving and encourage them to search out more effective alternatives.
• TACTICS OF UNFREEZING
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- Letting individuals know that support and training will be available for the
specific changes to be made
- Build in rewards
Moving
- Although these forces can assume many forms, they tend to manifest in
terms of behaviours that affect performance.
• Expect mistakes and provide support in the form of training, coaching and
motivating
• Institute smaller, acceptable changes that reinforce and support change. E.g..,
Procedures and rules, job descriptions, reporting relationships.
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Refreezing
- Once the organizational changes have been made and the structure has
regained its effectiveness, cementing is necessary.
- Refreezing is necessary because without it, the old ways of doing things
might soon reassert themselves while the new ways are forgotten hence
control systems are required.
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- The move translates to implementation.
• Exploration
• Planning
• Action
• Integration.
Exploration occurs when managers confirm the need for change and
securing resources needed for it.
- In the next stage of planning, key decision makers and experts come up
with a change plan depicting a sequence of needed actions.
- In the action stage, actions are completed according to the plan made.
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- This is the enactment of the plan.
The model assumes that change can be defined and moved towards in a
planned way.
- The model addresses some of the power issues around making change
happen, highlights the importance of a ‘felt need’ for change in the
organization, and emphasizes the need to communicate the vision and
keep communication levels extremely high throughout the process.
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Form a powerful guiding coalition. Assembling a powerful group of people
who can work well together.
Create a vision. Building a vision to guide the change effort together with
strategies for achieving this.
Empower others to act on the vision. This step includes getting rid of
obstacles to change such as unhelpful structures or systems. Allow people to
experiment.
Plan for and create short-term wins. Look for and advertise short-term
visible improvements. Plan these in and reward people publicly for
improvements.
Consolidate gains. Promote and reward those able to promote and work
towards the vision. Energize the process of change with new projects,
resources, change agents.
- Beckhard and Harris (1987) developed their change formula from some
original work by Gelicher.
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C = Change
X = ‘Cost’ of changing
Factors A, B, and D must outweigh the perceived costs [X] for the change
to occur. If any person or group whose commitment is needed is not
sufficiently dissatisfied with the present state of affairs [A], eager to
achieve the proposed end state [B] and convinced of the feasibility of the
change [D], then the cost [X] of changing is too high, and that person will
resist the change. … resistance is normal and to be expected in any
change effort. Resistance to change takes many forms; change managers
need to analyse the type of resistance in order to work with it, reduce it,
and secure the need for commitment from the resistant party
- The multiplication implies that if any one factor is zero or near zero, the
product will also be zero or near zero and the resistance to change will not
be overcome.
- This means that if the vision is not clear, or dissatisfaction with the current
state is not felt, or the plan is obscure, the likelihood of change is severely
reduced.
- These factors (A, B, D) do not compensate for each other if one is low
Action research
CONCLUSION
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- There are many approaches to managing and understanding change to
choose from, none of which appears to tell the whole story, most of which
are convincing up to a point.
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excellent starting point for those
interested in making large or small-
scale organizational change. The
model places most emphasis on
getting the early steps right:
building coalition and setting the
vision rather than later steps of
empowerment and consolidation.
Change is seen as linear rather
than cyclical, which implies that a
pre-designed aim can be reached
rather than iterated towards.
Beckhard and Harris, The change formula is simple but highly
effective. The change formula can be
used at any point in the change process
to analyse what is going on.
It is useful for sharing with the whole
team to illuminate barriers to change.
2. A fast food organization introduced a set of values recently which were well
communicated and enthusiastically welcomed. The senior management team
publicly endorsed the values and said, ‘This is where we want to be in 12
months’ time so that we are ready for industry consolidation. You will all be
measured on achieving these values in your day-to-day work.’ The values
were put together by a consultancy, which put a great deal of effort into
interviewing a broad range of people in the organization. People at all levels
like the look of the values, but the situation three months later is that activity
and conversations around the values are diminishing. A lot of people are
saying ‘We are doing this already.’ There is still some enthusiasm, but people
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are now getting scared that they will fall short of the values somehow, and are
starting to resent them. What needs to happen now?
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