Models of change

Models of change

• Kurt Lewin’s model of change; Force Field

Analysis,
• Weisbord Six-Box Model;
• Systems’ Theory;
• Action Research: As Process and Approach
 IMPLEMENTING CHANGE SUCCESSFULLY
• Successful implementation of change requires
knowledge about the change process
• The change process, propounded by Kurt
Lewin, consists of 3 stages:
– (1)unfreezing,
– (2) changing,
– (3) refreezing
Unfreezing Changing Refreezing

Recognising the need for New values, behaviours Making change

change, casting aside old and permanent . Practice what
values, behaviour, or structures replace old was learnt in
Organisational structures ones. Action oriented the second stage
 Force Field Analysis (1951)
• This model is relatively simple to understand and easy to
visualize.
• A depiction of the model identifies both driving forces and
restraining forces within an organization.
• These driving forces, such as environmental factors, push for
change within the organization
• while the restraining forces, such as organizational factors (e.g.,
limited resources or poor morale), act as barriers to change.
• The model relies upon the change process, with the social
implications built into the model (e.g., disequilibrium is expected
to occur until equilibrium is reestablished).
• The general goal of this model is to intentionally move to a
desirable state of equilibrium by adding driving forces, where
important, and eliminating restraining forces, where appropriate.
 Lewin: Unfreezing the Status Quo
• Driving Forces
– Forces that direct behavior away from the status
quo
• Restraining Forces
– Forces that hinder movement from the existing
equilibrium
 Kotter’s Eight-Step Plan
• Builds from Lewin’s Model

• To implement change:
Unfreezing
1. Establish a sense of urgency
2. Form a coalition
3. Create a new vision
4. Communicate the vision Movement
5. Empower others by removing barriers
6. Create and reward short-term “wins” Refreezing
7. Consolidate, reassess, and adjust
8. Reinforce the changes
 Action Research Model

The action research model focuses on planned

change as a cyclical process in which initial
research about the organization provides
information to guide subsequent action. Then
the results of the action are assessed to provide
further information to guide further action, and
so on.
 The main steps involved are:
1. Entry (Problem identification): This stage usually begins when a key
executive in the organization or someone with power and influence
senses that the organization has one or more problems that might be
solved with the help of an OD practitioner. Contact between the
consultant and client is what initiates the entry phase. After the
contact, the consultant and the client begin the process of exploring
with one another the possibilities of a working relationship.
2. During this process, the consultant assesses:
3. a. The probability of relating with the client
4. b. The motivation and values of the client
5. c. The client’s readiness for change
6. d. The extent of resources available
7. e. Potential leverage points of change
 2. Contracting (Consultation with a behavioral science expert):

During the initial contact, the OD practitioner

and the client carefully assess each other. The
practitioner has his or her own normative,
developmental theory or frame of reference and
must be conscious of those assumptions and
values. Sharing them with the client from the
beginning establishes an open and collaborative
atmosphere.
Unlike other types of contracts, the OD
contract states three critical areas:

a. What each expects to get from the

relationship
b. How much time each will invest, when,
and at what cost
c. The ground rules under which the
parties will operate
 3. Diagnosis (Data gathering and
preliminary diagnosis):
This step is usually completed by the OD
practitioner, often in conjunction with
organization members. It involves gathering
appropriate information and analyzing it to
determine the underlying causes of
organizational problems.
 4. Feedback (Feedback to a key client or
group):
Because action research is a collaborative
activity, the diagnostic data are fed back to the
client, usually in a group or work-team meeting.
The feedback step, in which members are given
the information gathered by the OD practitioner,
helps them determine the strengths and
weaknesses of the organization or the
department under study.
 5. Planning Change (Joint action
planning):
Next, the OD practitioner and the client
members jointly agree on further actions to be
taken. This is the beginning of the moving
process (described in Lewin's change model).At
this stage, the specific action to be taken
depends on the culture, technology, and
environment of the organization; the diagnosis
of the problem; and the time and expense of the
intervention.
 6. Intervention (Action):
This stage involves the actual change from one
organizational state to another. It may include
installing new methods and procedures,
reorganizing structures and work designs, and
reinforcing new behaviors. Such actions typically
cannot be implemented immediately but require
a transition period as the organization moves
from the present to a desired future state.
7. Evaluation (Data gathering after action):

Because action research is a cyclical process,

data must also be gathered after the action has
been taken to measure and determine the
effects of the action and to feed the results back
to the organization. This, in turn, may lead to re-
diagnosis and new action.
Steps in Action Research
(Ferrance, 2000)
 5. Weisbord’s Six-Box Model (1976)
• Weisbord (1976) proposes six broad categories in his model of
organizational life, including purposes, structures, relationships,
leadership, rewards, and helpful mechanisms
• The purposes of an organization are the organization’s mission
and goals
• Weisbord refers to structure as the way in which the organization
is organized; this may be by
– By function – where specialists work together
– By product, program, or project – where multi-skilled teams work
together
• ways in which people and units interact is termed relationships
• box of relationships is the way in which people interact with
technology in their work.
• Rewards are the intrinsic and extrinsic rewards people associate
with their work.
• The leadership box refers to typical leadership tasks,
including the balance between the other boxes.
• Finally, the helping mechanisms are the planning,
controlling, budgeting, and information systems that
serve to meet organizational goals.
• The external environment is also depicted in
Weisbord’s model, although it is not represented as a
“box”
• Weisbord identifies as inputs the money, people, ideas,
and machinery which are used to fulfill the
organization’s mission. The outputs are products and
services.
• Two premises which are not apparent in Weisbord’s model
are crucial to understanding the boxes in the model.
• The first premise refers to formal versus informal systems.
Formal systems are those policies and procedures the
organization claims to do. In contrast, informal systems
are those behaviors which actually occur. The bigger the
gap between the formal and informal systems within the
organization, the less effective the organization is.
• The second premise concerns the fit between the
organization and the environment, that is, the discrepancy
between the existing organization and the way the
organization should function to meet external demands.
Weisbord defines external demands or pressures as
customers, government, and unions.