Managing Change

Week 4

Change TYPES
 This week ….
CHANGE vs CHANGE MANAGEMENT

TYPES & Models of CHANGE

PLANNED CHANGE and EMERGENT Change

Action Research
What you need to take from this week’s work !

 Know the FOUR different types / models of

change
 Understand the TWO dominant approaches to
change management (Planned and Emergent).
 Critically appraise their strengths and
weaknesses.
 Lewin’s FOUR main elements of planned
change.
 TYPES or MODELS of CHANGE
Systems u
se
distinguis d
between a h
categorisend
Select Typologies different t
ypes
change

1. Evolutionary & Revolutionary Change (Greiner, 1972)

2. Incremental & Deep change (Quinn, 1996)

3. Continuous & Discontinuous Change (Nadler, 1998)

4. Punctuated Equilibria (Gould, 1989; Gould & Eldridge 1977)

1: EVOLUTIONARY vs REVOLUTIONARY change (eg Greiner)

Greiner (1972)
 evolution = modest adjustments; necessary for maintaining steady
growth and stability in an organisation.
 revolution = periods of substantial turbulence and upheaval within
the same organisations.
Evolutionary change
a. Emphasises the process & character of the change;
the pace (or speed) of the change, (implies “time”).
b. refers to steady stream, of small /
incremental changes over time.
c. A continuous, adaptive change process.
Revolutionary change
b. rapid, short duration, dramatic intense
forms of change.
 2: INCREMENTAL vs DEEP Change (Quinn, 1996)

Incremental change
• An extension of the past, limited in scope, often reversible.
• Those involved feel they are in control.
Deep change
• Is major in scope, discontinuous with the past, generally
irreversible.
• Distorts existing patterns of action,
• Involves taking risks,
• Requires new ways of thinking and behaving, and
• Implies surrendering control.

(Source: Van Tonder, C.L. (2004): Organisational Change: Theory & Practice)
 3: CONTINUOUS vs DISCONTINUOUS Change
(e.g. Nadler, 1998)

Continuous change (like the child growing into an adult).

Perpetual, ongoing change in a direction
consistent with the organisation’s existing
flow or functioning

Discontinuous change (fall of the Berlin Wall):

An episodic and disruptive form of change that breaks
with the organisation’s past and
existing mode of functioning.

(Source: Van Tonder, C.L. (2004): Organisational Change: Theory & Practice)
out
e& 4: PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM
CHANGE

 Main proponent: Stephen Gould.

 Change model from evolutionary biology
applied to organisations.
 It proposes that…
• organisations experience long periods of gradual,
incremental change
• interrupted by brief periods of discontinuous, radical
change.
 CHANGE & the SUBJECTIVE Experience of Change
• People / Employees are NOT neutral when they approach any
situation e.g. a change situation ( see Smith, 1998)
• Perceptions of change situations are distinctly personal – especially if
information provided is inadequate (see. Coghlan, 1993)
 Research indicates: Employees will interpret change initiatives
differently - influenced by previous change experience and
established (cognitive) change beliefs – and position in the firm.
o Managers (among themselves) differed on the perception of a
transformation (e.g. Van Tonder, 2004),
o Supervisors differed in their interpretation of change (e.g. Terry &
Callan, 1997), and
o Non-managerial levels differed from managerial levels in their
perception of change (e.g. Taylor, 1999). (think McKinsey Video Wk 1)
 Introduction to Change management
Approaches

Two dominant approaches (see Reading 8: Burnes, 2004)

1 The Planned Approach – 1940s (&

influence of KURT LEWIN)
Drivers are often from internal forces

2 The Emergent Approach – 1980s

Drivers are often from external forces
 MAIN ELEMENTS of PLANNED CHANGE
(Kurt Lewin)

For Lewin ‘successful change’ required…

 …an understanding of the social setting (group) in
which the change has to occur – necessitating the
use of
1. Group Dynamics
2. Field Theory
 …an effective means to change group behaviour i.e.
3. The 3-Step Model (& N-step models)
4. Action Research (from ‘OD’)
Lewin … focuses on the human side of change.
Successful change deals with the four points above.
 ❶Group Dynamics
… the word ‘dynamics’ … comes from a Greek word meaning force.
‘group dynamics’ refers to the forces operating in groups. … it is a
study of these forces: what gives rise to them, what conditions
modify them, what consequences they have, etc. (Cartwright, 1951: 382)

Changes need to be introduced at the group level rather

than merely at the individual level…
 …due to strong influences of group norms, shared values
and beliefs…on individual attitudes and behaviour

Need to reach consensus, shared goals, teamwork (group

existence is purposeful)
 ❷ FIELD THEORY
Individual behaviour is a function of the group
environment or ‘FIELD’

For Kurt LEWIN:

Change is…
“… a sequence of activities that emanate from
disturbances in the stable force field that surrounds the
organisation (or object, situation or person)” (Lewin, 1951)
 ❷ FIELD THEORY
A theory of change in a (social) system or ‘FIELD’

Figure 8.1 Force Field analysis

Figure 8.1 Force Field analysis
Figure 8.1 Force Field analysis
❸ Kurt Lewin’s Three-Step model
Unfreezing (create dissatisfaction)

Moving / ‘Change’ (effecting change - implementation)

Refreezing (stabilisation).
 Three Steps
Unfreeze Moving Refreeze

INTERVENTION STAGE
New state –
Unfreeze steady internalise
state e.g. create Painful state: Need and becomes
sense of urgency to provide support normal
 The INTERVENTION Stage in Action Research (the
‘moving’ part of Lewin’s theory Lect 4)

o An  Action is the most important part.

“intervention” Analyse and find something that is most
suitable for the organisation.
is a key
 This is the ‘Moving’ part of the Lewin’s
construct in
theory. Create and remove fear.
Organisational  Resistance - and then remove resistance
Development to change
and  Give guidance and direction
o …an important
 The role of the leaders and managers
come into play
stage in Action
 Individual performance is in line with the
Research. broad change
 ❹ PLANNED Change & ACTION RESEARCH (AR)
Kurt Lewin: Contemporary
- Kurt LEWIN: Action Research Action Research (AR)
ep
d (AR)
ne els PLANNED
od CHANGE

UNFREEZING

MOVEMENT

‘AR’ i
REFREEZING cyclic s a
proce al,
centr ss-
of plaed form
chan nned
centr ge -
a
 ACTION RESEARCH: Lewin (1946)
A two-pronged process which would allow groups to
address three questions:
1: What is the present situation?
2. What are the dangers?
3. What shall we do?

• It emphasises that change requires action – and is

directed at achieving this.
• It recognises that successful action is based on
analysing the situation correctly, identifying the
possible alternative solutions
• Assists the choosing of the one most appropriate to the
situation at hand (Bennett 1983 …. from Burns Ch 9, 341)
 ACTION RESEARCH (AR)
FOUR major themes characterise Action Research :

 Collaboration through participation

 Expanding the knowledge base
 Facilitating “social” change
 Further empowering participants
 Note – as with OD - Action Research is a
collaborative process.
W. Warner BURKE on ACTION RESEARCH (Ed Psychologist)

A deliberate process to help individuals and

organizations REFLECT and CHANGE their own systems.
1. Entry : initial Contact, exploration, match
2. Contracting : Expectations and agreement
3. Diagnosis : Data gathering and analysis
4. Feedback :Communicating and dealing with data
5. Planning change [“intervention strategy”] Contemplating
alternative courses of action (in response to data)
6. Intervention : Implementing action
7. Evaluation : Assessment of impact
 Planned change Criticisms
• A ‘one best way’ approach
• Limited applicability
• Assumes environmental stability (focus within
groups/constituent parts of organisation, ignore
external changes) Ignores power and politics
(potential conflicts with other parties within the
organisation?)
• Therefore not applicable to situations that need
rapid, directive transformational change
• And not applicable to organisational-wide change
 TYPES of Change / Change TYPES

Second dominant approach …

EMERGENT APPROACH to CHANGE

Pettigrew and others
The nature of Emergent change
Not a linear or once-off isolated event
Continuous, open-ended, cumulative and unpredictable
process
Aligning / realigning an organisation to a changing
environment – continuously and synergistically adapting
internal practices and behaviour in real time to changing
external conditions
Is holistic and contextual
Emerges from day-to-day actions and decisions of members
of an organisation
Learning process
No universal rules.
Organisations are power systems and change is a political
process whereby different groups in organisations struggle to
protect or enhance their own interests
 Critique: EMERGENT Change Approach
Less coherent approach: collection of approaches
critical of planned change
Assumes constant environmental turbulence and
change (vs. stability)
Questions about realism / validity re. culture
change, organisational learning & the role of
management
Over-emphasis on political dimension of change
Both PLANNED and EMERGENT change
approaches are relevant, but both are not fully
and absolutely applicable
 Pettigrew (1997) on Successful and
Emergent Change

Successful change is less dependent on detailed

plans and projections than on reaching an
understanding of the complexity of the issues
concerned and identifying the range of available
options.
Pettigrew (1997)
 PROCESSUAL APPROACH To Change: Continuity.
 Supports the ‘emergent’ approach.
 A process is ‘a sequence of individual and collective
events, actions and activities unfolding over time in
context ‘ (Pettigrew, 1997:338)
 Recognises: change planning is constrained, influenced
by the complex, untidy and messy nature of change (Dawson,
2003:25)

 Recognises:
 Change is a complex and dynamic process
 Not be treated as a series of linear events
 A need to analyse the politics of managing change
 Processual Approach - recognises the importance of
planning for change and the presence of processes of
continuity.
What you research and learn and apply to all
further discussions - from this week’s work !

 The FOUR different types / models of change

 Understand the TWO dominant approaches to
change management (Planned and Emergent).
 recognise and critically appraise their
strengths and weaknesses.
 Lewin’s FOUR main elements of planned
change…. important for understanding how
Lewin applies his three-step model.
 The role of ACTION RESEARCH.
That’s it for today!