Management philosophy: Change management theory
This paper’s theme is an analysis of change management theory as a component of management philosophy. Change management is a significant for many organizations. Change, by its very nature, is ongoing and constant, is essential to successfully managing its effects (Waldron, Vsanthakumar & Arulraj, 1997). Winston Churchill stated, “To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often” (Churchill, ND, p. 1). Heraclitus, an ancient philosopher, indicates nature is change. Like a river, nature flows ever onwards (Rayner, 2008). For many years, philosophers have waxed poetic about change. The basis for this report is a change management table, which is available in the appendix.
Various theories and processes exist in the field of change management including Kotter’s Eight Steps to Change Management, Bridge’s Transition Model, Roger’s Technology Adoption Curve, Kubler-Ross Model, and Proscis ADKARs model. Each of the various change management approaches has different positives and negatives. The analysis of this subject includes a summarization of the article about a specific type of change, the philosopher main theory, the influences of the theory, and a comparison of the theories.
Change Management Theories
Each of the following sections will provide a summary about the salient change management theory, the theories main theorist, and theory influences.
Kotter’s Eight Steps to Change Management
According to Shirvani, Dehaghani & Mossavi, (2013), the article’s theme is an empirical investigative study of the use of Kotter’s eight-step change management method in a hierarchical organization structure. Kotter’s eight-step change management approach include increasing urgency, buildin...
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...ford.edu/class/symbsys205/Diffusion%20of%20Innovations.htm
PeopleWiz, (2013). A comparison of five popular models for managing business change, Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/peoplewizconsulting/change-management-models-a-comparison
Prosci, (2014). History, Retrieved from https://www.prosci.com/about-prosci/history/
Rayner, T., (2008). Heraclitus, change and flow, Retrieved from http://philosophyforchange.wordpress.com/2008/04/07/heraclitus-on-change/
Shirvani, A., Dehaghani, M., V., & Mossavi, S., H., (2013). Change management in the public sector: A case study of gas distribution firm. Management science letters, 3(6), 1751-1756.
Waldron, M. W., Vsanthakumar, J., and Arulraj, S, (1997). Improving the organization and management of extension, Improving agricultural extension. A reference manual, Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/docrep/w5830e/w5830e0f.htm
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd Ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Hughes, M 2006, 'Strategic change', in M Hughes (ed.), Change management: a critical perspective, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London, pp. 52-63.
Leading Change was named the top management book of the year by Management General. There are three major sections in this book. The first section is ¡§the change of problem and its solution¡¨ ; which discusses why firms fail. The second one is ¡§the eight-stage process¡¨ that deals with methods of performing changes. Lastly, ¡§implications for the twenty-first century¡¨ is discussed as the conclusion. The eight stages of process are as followed: (1) Establishing a sense of urgency. (2) Creating the guiding coalition. (3) Developing a vision and a strategy. (4) Communicating the change of vision. (5) Empowering employees for broad-based action. (6) Generating short-term wins. (7) Consolidating gains and producing more changes. (8) Anchoring new approaches in the culture.
Graetz, F., & Smith, A. C. T. (June 2010). Managing organizational change: A philosophies of change approach. Journal of Change Management 10(2), 135–154.
This paper will be broken down into six sections profiling each critical part of implementing and managing change in an organization. The sections included are; outline for plan creating urgency, the approach to attracting a guiding team, a critique of the organizational profile, the components of change, and how to empower the organization.
Change is inevitable and bound to happen in all aspects of life including business. Although change is important in an organization, it can also be seen as a strength and weakness. Effective leadership is about mastering change. One must be willing to change in order to grow and be successful. This paper will compare and contrast Kotter and Kurt Lewin step in their change management models. Furthermore, it will elaborate on the concepts and explain whether these methods can be used at the same time. In addition, this paper will include a Christian worldview of the information discussed and how it relates to the change management models.
Change is a fundamental element of individuals, groups and all sorts of organizations. As it is the case for individuals, groups and societies, where change is a continuous process, composed of an indefinite amount of smaller sub-changes that vary in effect and length, and is affected by all sorts of aspects and events, many of which cyclic are anticipated ones. It is also the case for organizations, where change occurs repeatedly during the life cycle of organizations. Yet change in organizations is not as anticipated nor as predictable, with unexpected internal and external variables and political forces that can further complicate the management of change (Andriopoulos, C. and P. Dawson, 2009), which is by itself, the focus of many scholars in their pursuit to shed light on and facilitate the change process (Kotter 1996; Levin 1947; et al).
The transformation of a company requires hundreds, sometimes thousands of employees to adopt a new view of its future, a future they must regard as essential. Change management involves managing the process of achieving this future state. Change can be viewed from two vantage points, that of the people making the changes and that of the people experiencing the changes. In the top-down, or strategic viewpoint associated with management, the focus is on technical issues such as the investment required, the processes for implementing the change, how soon the change can be realized, and the outcome. In the bottom-up viewpoint of the employee, the focus is on what the change means to the ...
From information gathering and research, organizational change management is similar in a way that psychology explores people’s behaviors in the workplace by creating theories and set of principles to compliant with the o...
Change in an organization occurs when an organization identifies an area of where necessary change must be undertaken, examines it thoroughly and adapts to it. This may lead to gaps where employees may not adapt to a certain change and therefore it is important that an organization takes into considerati...
Robbins et al. (2011, p. 186), states ‘Change is an organizational reality and affects every part of a manager’s job’. Today’s wave of change primarily created by economic condition so change is now such a constant feature of organization life (Goodman, E. 2011, p.243). Organizations need to be changed at one point or another in structure, technology or people. These changes are defined as organizational change (Robbins et al. 2011, p.18). Organizational change is important because changes can increase effectiveness and efficiency, the innovation of products, services as well as dealing with changes in external and internal forces (Goodman, E. 2011, p.243). However, ‘the bottom line is that organizational change is difficult because management systems are design and people are rewarded for stability’ (Lawler, E.E. & Worley, C.G. 2006, p.11).
The change process within any organization can prove to be difficult and very stressful, not only for the employees but also for the management team. Hayes (2014), highlights seven core activities that must take place in order for change to be effective: recognizing the need for change, diagnosing the change and formulating a future state, planning the desired change, implementing the strategies, sustaining the implemented change, managing all those involved and learning from the change. Individually, these steps are comprised of key actions and decisions that must be properly addressed in order to move on to the next step. This paper is going to examine how change managers manage the implementation of change and strategies used
The change management foundation model “requires leadership to set direction, project management to take care of technical aspects of change and people to implement the change, cited in Vora (2013). Within the business improvement role establishing key success measures that ...
The world is constantly changing in many different ways. Whether it is technological or cultural change is present and inevitable. Organizations are not exempt from change. As a matter of fact, organizations have to change with the world and society in order to be successful. Organizations have to constantly incorporate change in order to have a competitive advantage and satisfy their customers. Organizations use change in order to learn and grow. However, change is not something that can happen in an organization overnight. It has to be thought through and planned. The General Model of Planned Change focuses on what processes are used by the organization to implement change. In the General Model of Planned Change, four steps are used in order to complete the process of change. Entering and Contracting, Diagnosing, Planning and Implementing, and Evaluating and Institutionalizing are the four steps used in order to complete the process of change in an organization. The diagnostic process is one of the most important activities in OD(Cummings, 2009, p. 30).
One of the first scholars to describe the process of organizational change was Lewin (1974). He described change as a three-stage process that consists of unfreezing, moving and freezing stage. During the unfreezing stage the organizations become motivated to change by some event or objective. The moving stage is like implementation when the organization actually makes the necessary change. Furthermore the freezing stage is reached when the change becomes permanent. Organizational change has also...