Approach

Education and
communication

Participation
and
involvement

Facilitation and
support

Negotiation
and agreement

Manipulation
and co-optation

Explicit and
Implicit

Most
appropriate
When there is
little information
available for
employees

Where input from

employees is
needed to fully
design the
change, and
where employees
have
considerable
power to resist
changes
Where people are
resisting because
of adjustment
problems
Where parties
have opposing
interests and
where each has
considerable
power to resist
Where other
approaches will
not work

Only when it is
urgent that

Example

Advantage

This approach
aims to keep
employees
informed, usually
through
presentations
about the reasons
for the required
change
This approach
aims involve
employees,
usually by
allowing some
input in to
decision making

Communication of the
benefits
and reasons for changes in
the
organisation should help
employees
understand the reasons for
the
changes and to accept them
Employees who have been
consulted will be committed
to making the changes as
they were involved in the
decision making process

Training and
counselling

Training and counselling

helps employees accept
change

This approach
enables several
parties with
opposing
interests to
bargain
The information
that is
disseminated is
selective and
distorted to only
emphasis the
benefits of the
change
The change is
forced up on by

The bargaining will lead to a

situation of compromise
from all parties

Avoids potential conflict,

however, this is done
through providing
selective and distorted
information
to those affected

It is a speedy approach but

can be risky if it leaves

Coercion

change is
enacted and
initiators hold
considerable
power

direct and
indirect threats

employees angry with the

forceful approach taken