CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Lecture Seven

Dr. Henry Mensah

henbil25@yahoo.com
What Is Change?
• Change
 An alteration of an organization’s environment,
structure, technology, or people
 A constantforce
 An organizational reality
 An opportunity or a threat

• Change agent
 A person who initiates and assumes the responsibility
for managing a change in an organization
 Change Process

• The change process starts with an

awareness of the need for change.

• Possible courses of action can then be

identified and evaluated and choice
made of the preferred action.

• Managing change during this transitions

is a critical phase in the change process.
 Change Process

• To manage change,
– it is first necessary to understand the
types of change and why people resist
change.
– This requires them to come to an
understanding of the various model of
change that have been developed.
Three Categories of Change
 STRATEGIC CHANGE
• Change can be transformational or incremental
– Transformational change is extensive and
crucial to the organization.
– An incremental change takes time to evolve.

• Management approach to change is divided into

REACTIVE and PROACTIVE. (Johnson and
Scholes’s model of change).
 Types of Change
• Reactive change
– Change that occurs when the forces
driving change provide so much
pressure that the organization
must change.
• Proactive change
– Organizational change that occurs when managers
conclude that change is desirable
(as opposed to necessary).

Copyright © 2002 by South-Western 18–8

 Driver/Forces For Change
• Internal
Externalforces
forces
 Strategy
Marketplace
modifications
competition
 New
Government
equipment
laws and regulations
 New processes
technologies
 Workforce
Labor market
composition
shifts
 Restructured
Cycles in the economy
jobs
 Compensation
Social change and benefits
 Labor surpluses and shortages

Note
Employee attitudes
 Technical issues
PESTEL
 Administrative issues

Copyright © 2004 Prentice Hall, Inc. All rights reserved. 7–9

 Change and the Individual

Management must consider the effect of change

on people before bringing about which includes:
 Resistance To Change (Sources)
Resistance to change means trying to maintain the status-
quo (the old ways of doing things). Sources of resistance to
change include:
• Attitude or beliefs which are the results of culture
• Loyalty to group norms
• Habit and past norms
• Politics- resistance to change that attempts to weaken
one’s position or increase rival’s position.
• The way change is implemented-if employees were not
involved.
• Personality- our personalities affect our attitude to
change.
 Resistance To Change (Causes)
The immediate causes of resistance to change may include the
following:
• Self-interest – where the old ways of doing things favors
somebody.

• Lack of communication – where the nature and consequences

of change have not been made known and clear to employees

• Contradictory assessment-where management and labor do

not see the cost and benefit of change in the same way.

• Low tolerance – some people do not tolerate any form of

change.
 Reactions to change

• Acceptance – whether enthusiastic espousal, co-

operation, grudging co-operation or resignation

• Indifference – usually where the change does not affect

the individual; evidence is apathy, lack of interest,
inaction etc

• Passive resistance – refusal to learn, pleas of ignorance

or defensiveness; procrastination

• Active resistance – deliberate ‘spoiling’, go slow,

deliberate errors, absenteeism or strikes.
 How to deal with resistance to change
CAUSES HOW TO DEAL WITH IT

Parochial self- Negotiation- for example offering

incentives to those resisting the change on
interest ground of self interest.
Misunderstanding This is best dealt with by educating and
reassuring people. Trust has to be earned.

Different viewpoints Change can be promoted through

participation and by involving potential
of the situation resisters
Low tolerance Force the change through and then
support the new behavior it requires. In
short, people need to be encouraged to
adopt the new behavior.
 Overcoming Resistance To Change

When dealing with resistance to change, managers

should consider three aspects of change
• Pace
• Manner
• Scope
 Pace of change

• The more gradual the change, the more time is

available for questions to be asked, reassurance
to be given and retraining (where necessary)
embarked upon.

• Presenting the individual with a fait accompli

(Let’s get it over with- people just have to get
used to it) may short-circuit resistance at the
planning and immediate implementation stage.
It may however, cause problems later.
 The manner of change

The manner in which a change is put across is

very important. The following useful ways are
recommended:

• Confront resistance- Talking through areas of conflict

may lead to useful insight and the adapting of the
programme of change to advantage.

• Keep people informed- Information should be

sensible, clear, consistent and realistic.
 The manner of change

• Explanation- The change can be sold to the people by

convincing them that their attitudes and behavior
need changing.

• Skills training- Learning programmes for any new

skills or systems necessary will have to be designed
according to the abilities, previous learning experience
etc of the individual concerned.

• Empathy- Getting to know the people involved in and

affected by changes enables their reactions to be
anticipated.
 Scope of Change

The scope of change should be carefully reviewed.

• Total transformation
• Hidden changes
• Different aspects of employees’ lives to
be altered
Note
Refer from notes
 Lewin's "Field Force" Model Of Change

Degree of change:
DRIVING FORCES Individual RESTRAINING FORCES:
Pressures for Group Pressures resisting
change change
Organization
 Lewin's Three Stage Model:
Unfreezing, Moving (Changing), Refreezing
 Unfreezing

• Getting managers to accept the desirability

and feasibility of change.
• gathering information about the culture of the
organization­surveys, interviews, observation.
• making the culture explicit and forcing
managers to recognize it.
 Moving:
• Shifting culture in the desired direction.
• HRM-The change has to be supported by changes
in appraisal and reward systems, training, and
recruitment and selection criteria. There is also
may be the need to change personnel.
• Communications of the need for, nature of and
benefits of the change, and of top management
backing.
• Leadership, particularly the example and
involvement of top management
 Refreezing:

Monitoring the change process and making

sure that the changes are maintained and
consolidated
Techniques for Reducing Resistance to Change

TECHNIQUE WHEN USED

Education and When resistance is due to misinformation
communication
Participation When resisters have the expertise to make
a contribution
Facilitation and When resisters are fearful and anxiety-ridden
support
Negotiation Necessary when resistance comes from
a powerful group
Manipulation When a powerful group’s cooperation and
an endorsement is is needed
Coercion When a powerful group’s endorsement is needed
Kotter’s 8 Steps In Transforming Organizations