Topic 11 - Organizational Change

Question 1

Why do organizations need to change?

Answer 1

• nature of the workforce (age, diversity, etc.)
• technology
• economic shocks
• competition
• social trends
• world politics
• vulnerability and loss of legitimacy
• response to decline

Question 2

What are the sources of individual resistance to change?

Answer 2

1. self-interest
2. misunderstanding and lack of trust
3. different assessments
4. low tolerance for change

Question 3

Why is Self-interest a source of individual resistance to change?

Answer 3

people worry that they will lose something of value

Question 4

Why is misunderstanding a source of individual resistance to change?

Answer 4

don’t understand the nature of the change and fear that the cost of the change will outweigh any potential gains for them

Question 5

Why are different assessments a source of individual resistance to change?

Answer 5

see the change differently than their managers and think the costs outweigh the benefits, for the whole organization

Question 6

Why is a low tolerance for change a source of individual resistance to change?

Answer 6

they worry that they do not have the skills and behaviour required of the new situation

Question 7

What are 6 sources of organizational resistance to change?

Answer 7

1. threat to established resource allocations
2. structural inertia
3. limited focus of change (subsystems affected)
4. group inertia (group norms may constrain)
5. threat to expertise (specialized groups)
6. threat to established power relationships (redistribution of authority)

Question 8

what are the three steps in Lewin’s Change Model?

Answer 8

1. Unfreezing
2. Moving
3. Refreezing

Question 9

With regard to Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model, what is unfreezing?

Answer 9

change efforts to overcome the pressures of both individual resistance to change and group conformity

Question 10

With regard to Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model, what is moving?

Answer 10

efforts to get employees involved in the change process

Question 11

With regard to Lewin’s Three-Step Change Model, what is refreezing?

Answer 11

stabilizing a change intervention by balancing driving and restraining forces

Question 12

unfreezing must happen in one of three ways:

Answer 12

1. increase driving forces (direct behaviour away from status quo)
2. decrease restraining forces (hinder movement from the existing equilibrium)
3. a combo of these two

Question 13

What is Kotter’s Eight Step Plan for implementing change?

Answer 13

1. Establish a sense of urgency by creating compelling reason for change
2. Form a coalition with enough power to lead the change
3. Create a new vision
4. Communicate the vision
5. Empower other to act on the vision
6. Plan for, create, and reward short-term “wins”
7. Consolidate improvements, make necessary adjustments
8. Reinforce the change by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviours and organizational success