CHANGING THE ORGANISATION Flashcards
TRIGGERS AND RESISTANCE
Force-field analysis:
* A tool to understand forces for and against change in an organization.
* Plotting out factors that drive change, and those that resist it. * Useful in developing strategies to promote change and
overcome resistance.
Triggers:
* Internal triggers – e.g. new management, new strategy, new technology, restructuring
* External triggers – e.g. change in customer demands, change in government policy, economic changes.
Resistance:
* Resistance can come from individuals or groups who may feel threatened by the change, or feel they will lose power,
status or resources.
* Fear of the unknown or perceived negative impact of the change.
* Lack of trust in the leadership and the change process.
* Resistance can also be beneficial, leading to a more thorough examination of the proposed change, and better
understanding of its potential effects.
Conflicting perspectives:
* Different individuals and groups within an organization may have different perspectives on the change.
* May have different interests, values, and assumptions that influence their views.
* Conflicting perspectives can lead to conflict, but can also lead to a more diverse range of ideas and better decisionmaking.
* Important to engage with different perspectives to develop a comprehensive understanding of the situation.
PEST
The PEST model is a framework for analyzing the external factors that can impact an organization and trigger change. PEST
stands for Political, Economic, Social, and Technological factors.
Political factors
* Government policies and regulations
* Changes in political leadership
* Political instability
* Geopolitical conflicts
* Changes in international relations
Economic factors
* Changes in the global economy
* Market fluctuations
* Interest rates and inflation
* Consumer spending
* Supply and demand
* Globalization
Social factors
* Demographics (e.g. age, gender, ethnicity, etc.)
* Changes in consumer preferences and behaviour
* Social trends (e.g. environmental awareness, health and wellness, etc.)
* Cultural norms and values
* Attitudes towards work, leisure, and lifestyle
Technological factors
* Advancements in technology
* Automation and artificial intelligence
* Changes in communication channels
* Innovation in products and services
* Cybersecurity threats
INTERNAL TRIGGERS FOR CHANGE
- New senior staff
- Changes in senior leadership may bring a new vision or approach to the organization that requires change.
- Managerial aspirations, whims, decisions
- Managers may have ideas for change based on their own preferences or perceptions of what is needed.
- Union pressure and action
- Unions may push for change in areas such as working conditions, pay, or benefits.
- Politics and power of groups and individuals
- Individuals or groups within the organization may exert pressure for change based on their own interests or power.
- Pressures for increased capacity
- As the organization grows, there may be a need for changes to processes or structures to accommodate the increased
workload. - Redesign, e.g. technology, physical layout
- Changes in technology or physical layout may require corresponding changes to processes or structures within the
organization.
ORGANIZATIONAL RESISTANCE TO CHANGE
Organizational resistance to change is a common phenomenon that occurs when individuals or groups within an organization
resist changes that are being introduced. There are several reasons why organizations might resist change, including inertia,
systemic nature of the organization, contractual obligations, and fixed investments.
* Inertia refers to the tendency of organizations to continue with their current practices and routines, even in the face of
new challenges or opportunities. This is often due to the influence of group and organizational cultures, which can act
as a barrier to change.
* The systemic nature of the organization can also make it difficult to implement changes. Changes in one area of the
organization can have knock-on effects in other areas, which may cause resistance.
* Contractual obligations and fixed investments can also limit the ability of organizations to change. For example,
contractual agreements with suppliers or customers may restrict the ability of an organization to change its products or
services. Fixed investments in equipment, facilities, or technology may also make it difficult or costly to change.
To effectively manage organizational resistance to change, it is important to understand these factors and develop strategies to
address them. This may involve building support for the change, addressing cultural and systemic barriers, and finding ways to
overcome contractual and investment constraints.
FORCE-FIELD ANALYSIS (LEWIN, 1943)
Force-field analysis is a tool used to analyse the forces for and against change within an organization. It was developed by Kurt
Lewin in 1943 and is based on the idea that there are driving forces that push for change, and restraining forces that hinder
change. The aim of force-field analysis is to identify and balance the forces in order to reduce resistance to change and increase
the chances of success.
The process of force-field analysis involves the following steps:
* Identify the change that is desired
* List the driving forces that will facilitate the change
* List the restraining forces that will hinder the change
* Assign scores to each force based on its strength
* Identify the forces that can be influenced and those that cannot
* Develop an action plan to strengthen the driving forces and weaken the restraining forces
* Implement the plan and monitor progress
Force-field analysis can be a useful tool in managing organizational change, as it helps to identify the factors that may be
preventing change from occurring and allows managers to develop a plan to address these factors.
TYPES OF CHANGE (CUMMINGS AND WORLEY, 2009)
- Strategic interventions: These interventions are focused on changing the organization’s overall strategic direction,
including changes to the organization’s mission, vision, values, and goals. Examples of strategic interventions include
mergers and acquisitions, restructuring, and downsizing. - Technostructural interventions: These interventions are focused on improving the organization’s technology and
structure to make it more efficient and effective. Examples of technostructural interventions include process
reengineering, job redesign, and the implementation of new technologies. - Human process interventions: These interventions are focused on improving the interactions between people in the
organization, including communication, collaboration, and conflict resolution. Examples of human process interventions
include team building, leadership development, and diversity training. - Human resources interventions: These interventions are focused on improving the organization’s people-related
policies and practices, including recruitment, selection, training, and performance management. Examples of human
resources interventions include performance appraisals, employee development programs, and compensation and
benefits programs.
CHANGE AND THE NATURE OF ORGANIZATION
Organization as a set of building blocks:
* Simple, solid structure
* Total top-down power
* Neglects messy, human elements
* Underestimates resistance
Organization as an iceberg:
* Solid structure, but with hidden depths
* Resistance understandable, but can be overcome with long-term planning
* Psychological techniques give power over hidden depths
* The planned approach to change
Organization as a river:
* Too fluid to be a stable structure
* Power not top-down, but in the flow of the organization itself
* Resistance natural and to be expected
* The emergent approach to change
The planned approach to change:
* Lewin’s three-step model of change (Unfreezing, Movement, Freezing)
* Link with force-field analysis
* Organization development
The emergent approach to change:
* Processual approach
* Political struggles
* Systemic approach
Implications of the metaphors:
* Structure
* Knowledge
* Power
* Resistance
The metaphors of organization provide different perspectives on how organizations function and how change can be
approached. The set of building blocks metaphor emphasizes the need for top-down power and structure, while neglecting the
messy, human elements that can lead to resistance. The iceberg metaphor emphasizes the importance of understanding the
hidden depths of an organization and using psychological techniques to overcome resistance. The river metaphor emphasizes
the fluid and emergent nature of organizations, where power is not only top-down but in the flow of the organization itself.
The planned approach to change focuses on using structured models and organization development to implement change, while
the emergent approach emphasizes the processual and systemic nature of change. The emergent approach recognizes that
resistance is natural and can be expected, and that change may involve political struggles and systemic interdependencies.
Overall, the metaphors and approaches to change highlight the importance of understanding the different elements of
organizations, including their structure, knowledge, power, and resistance, in order to effectively implement change
CHANGING A SYSTEM
THE WATCHMAKER AND THE SURGEON (COLLINS, 1998)
* Two metaphors for the process of change
* Watchmaker – mechanical and linear view of change
* Surgeon – biological and organic view of change Open and closed systems
* Open systems interact with the environment – feedback loops
* Closed systems – self-contained
GAIA HYPOTHESIS
* The world as an interconnected system – living organisms and non-living components work together to create a selfregulating environment
CHAOS AND COMPLEXITY THEORY
* Small changes can have large and unpredictable effects
* The ‘butterfly effect’ – a small event can lead to major consequences
MANAGING WITH EMERGENCE
* Change as an emergent process
* Change cannot be fully controlled or predicted
* Organic metaphor for change
* Managers need to be open to change and flexible enough to adapt to emergent situations
* Need for a balance between structure and flexibility in the management of change
