Chapter 15: Strategies for change

Question 1

What are the main factors to consider when looking at the type of change?

Answer 1

The main factors to consider are as follows:
 Pace of the change – is the change to be introduced gradually or suddenly?
 Manner of the change – is the change forced or welcomed?
 Scope of the change – is the change minor or far-reaching?

Question 2

What are the different categories of change?

Answer 2

You want to consider the nature of change, which is either Incremental or Transformational
and the Management role which is either Reactive or Proactive

If it is Incremental and:
- Proactive = Tuning
- Reactive = Adaptation

If it is Transformational and:
- Proactive = Planned
- Reactive = Forced

Question 3

What makes up Lewin’s force field analysis?

Answer 3

Lewin’s force field analysis can be used to visualise the change process and to identify change management issues.

Forces for change pushing on the current position as well as resistance to change (barriers to change) and the ultimate desired position

What is pushing you towards your desired position and what is holding you back?

To reach the desired position the driving forces must be promoted and the restraining forces (barriers to change) must be removed.

Question 4

What are some forces for change?

Answer 4

Forces for change derive from external and internal environment change.
Changing markets
Globalisation
Increased competition
New technology
New personnel
Improved rewards

Question 5

What are some cultural and personnel barriers to change?

Answer 5

Cultural:
 Structural inertia – embedded systems/procedures
e.g. New information system – Difficulties may occur transferring the existing processes to a new information system, increasing staff resistance to the change
 Group inertia – skills/norms/ peer pressure
e.g. New production methods – If automated production is introduced it may threaten the skillset of the production workers, increasing their resistance to the change.
 Power structures – existing decision-making structures
Existing decision makers fear that they will lose power and status as a result of the change and therefore are resistant to it.
e.g. Factory closure – The production director will be concerned that they will lose power and status as a result of the factory closure, increasing their resistance to the change.

Personnel:
 Habit
 Security
 Effect on earnings
 Fear of the unknown
 Selective information processing
 Psychological contract

Question 6

What is the iceberg model?

Answer 6

Lewin and Schein’s Iceberg model:
Lewin and Schein suggested a three-stage approach to managing change.

Unfreeze
Involves a trigger, a challenge of existing behaviour, involvement of outsiders, or alteration to power structure
e.g. Appointing an external consultant.

Move
Means making the changes, communicating and encouraging adoption of the new situation
e.g. Presentations to communicate the change management plan.

Refreeze
Means consolidation and reinforcement of the new situation
e.g. Communicating the benefits obtained from the change.

Question 7

What are practical management styles?

Answer 7

This involves choosing appropriate styles to adopt for each group of stakeholders.
 Communication – meetings, briefings, etc. – reduces uncertainty and therefore resistance.
 Education – training reduces resistance to new processes etc.
 Participation – allowing change targets to participate in change process.

Question 8

What is a change agent?

Answer 8

Managers may choose to use a change agent to oversee the change and effectively manage the impact on the change targets.

A change agent is an individual, a group, or external consultancy with the responsibility for driving and ‘selling’ the change.
Sometimes called a ‘Champion of Change’.
The change target is those affected by the change.