MODELS OF CHANGE

Session 5
Effective Change Program

Our focus is primarily on intentional, goal oriented, organizational, purposeful

attempts by managers and employees to improve the functioning of teams, departm
ents or entire organization.
- Cummings & Worley, 1997

It may involve:
Creating a readiness among employees Creating a shared vision of the desired fut
ure state Developing political support Managing the transition from current stat
e Sustaining momentum for change to its completion
Motivating Change
• Creating readiness for change • Overcoming resistance to change
Effective Change Program
Creating a vision
• Energizing commitment • Describing a future state
Developing political support
• Assessing change agent power • Identifying key stakeholders • Influencing stakeholde
rs
Managing the transition
• Activity planning • Commitment planning • Management structure
Sustaining momentum
• • • •
Providing resources for change Building support systems for change agents Develo
ping new competencies and skills Reinforcing new behavior
Systems Model of Change

Meeting the challenges posed by the organization change often means not doing th
ings piecemeal. To be successful, change usually must be organization wide.
(Armenakis, et al, 1999)

The systems model of change describe organization as 6 interacting variables tha

t could serve as the focus of planned change:
People Culture Task Technology Design Strategy
Systems Model of Change
People
Culture
Task
Technology
Design
Strategy
Systems Model of Change

People variable: employees and their individual differences like perception, val
ues, needs Culture variable: shared belief, values and norms of the organization
members Task variable: nature of work like whether the job is simple or complex
, novel or repetitive. Technology variable: application of knowledge and techniq
ues like use of IT, robotics, automation

Design variable: formal organizational structure, system of communication, contr

ol or responsibility
Strategy variable: organizational planning process, how organization chooses to
compete
Lewin’s Process of Change

One of the cornerstone models for understanding organizational change was develo
ped by Kurt Lewin back in the 1950s, and still holds true today. His model is kn
own as Unfreeze – Change – Refreeze, refers to the three-stage process of change he
describes.

If you have a large cube of ice, but realize that what you want is a cone of ice
, what do you do?
Lewin’s Process of Change

First you must melt the ice to make it amenable to change (unfreeze). Then you m
ust mold the iced water into the shape you want (change). Finally, you must soli
dify the new shape (refreeze).
Lewin’s Process of Change

Unfreeze:

involves break down the existing status quo before you can build up a new way of
operating. you need to challenge the beliefs, values, attitudes, and behaviors
that currently define it. the change stage is where people begin to resolve thei
r uncertainty and look for new ways to do things. Time and communication are the
two keys to success for the changes to occur. People need time to understand th
e changes and they also need to feel highly connected to the organization throug
hout the transition period. needs to help people and the organization internaliz
e or institutionalize the changes.

Change:

Refreeze:
Greiner 5 stages of Growth
Greiner 5 stages of Growth

Phase 1: Creativity . . .
In the birth stage of an organization, the emphasis is on creating both a produc
t and a market. The company s founders are usually technically or entrepreneuria
lly oriented Communication among employees is frequent and informal.

. . . & the leadership crisis:

The founders find themselves burdened with unwanted management responsibilities.
a strong manager is needed who has the necessary knowledge and skill to introdu
ce new business techniques.
Greiner 5 stages of Growth

Phase 2: Direction . . .
Those
companies that survive the first phase by installing a capable business manager
usually embark on a period of sustained growth under able and directive leadersh
ip. Managers direct the organization

. . . & the autonomy crisis.

Lower-level
employees find themselves restricted by a cumbersome and centralized hierarchy.
Greiner 5 stages of Growth

Phase 3: Delegation . . .
The
next era of growth evolves from the successful application of a decentralized or
ganization structure. Much greater responsibility is given to the managers of pl
ants and market territories.

. . . & the control crisis:

A
serious problem eventually evolves. however, as top executives sense that they a
re losing control over a highly diversified field operation.
Greiner 5 stages of Growth

Phase 4: Coordination . . .
During
this phase, the evolutionary period is characterized by the rise of formal syste
ms for achieving greater coordination Decentralized units are merged into produc
t groups. Each product group is treated as an investment center where return on
invested capital is an important criterion

. . . & the red tape crisis:

Procedures
take precedence over problem solving, and innovation is dampened.
Greiner 5 stages of Growth

Phase 5: Collaboration . . .
strong interpersonal collaboration in an attempt to overcome the red-tape crisis
. management action through teams and the skillful confrontation of interpersona
l differences. Social control and self-discipline take over from formal control.
Conferences of key managers are held frequently to focus on major problem issue
s.

. . . & the ? crisis:

He imagines the revolution will center around the "psychological saturation" of

employees who grow emotionally and physically exhausted by the intensity of team
work and the heavy pressure for innovative solutions.