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Change management, Processual and Contingency approaches

Q: Goshal and Bartlett argue the importance of sequencing and implementation of activities in a change process. Three transformational change phases where identified, which 3?

- Rationalisation : streamlining operations - Revitalisation : leveraging resources and linking opportunities in the organisation - Regeneration : managing business unit operations while also collaborating in other areas of the organisation to achieve performance

Q: Lewin's change mode. (most famous model) Kurt lewin argued that change has 3 main stages, each requiring specific actions from the change students. Which 3 main stages?

1. Unfreezing : changing attitudes by making people uncomfortable about the way things are and so establishing the motive to change 2. Moving : implementing the change to achieve the desired new stage 3. Refreezing : embedding or institutionalizing the new behaviors, to prevent people from drifting back to previous ways of doing things

Q: Huy's ideal types of contingency change. Huy categorised contingency change approaches into four ideal types. What four?

1. Commanding : change intervention which seems short term and sudden. Usually implemented by senior executives who demand compiance from the rest of the organisation. (downsizing, outsourcing and divestments) 2. Engineering : change intervention which is medium-term oriented, with a relatively fast change perspective, usually involves changing work and operational systems 3. Teaching : change intervention take take longer-term perspective. Assisted by outside process consultants, employees are usually thought on how to change their work practices and behaviors. 4. Socializing : also long-term, and develops employees through participative experiential learning, based on self-monitoring and democratic organisational processes.

16 important questions on Change management, Processual and Contingency approaches

Kotter identifies typical mistakes hat cause transformational changes to fail, name the 8 typical mistakes

No urgency:
no coalition
no vision
poor communication
obstacles not removed
no wins: change takes time and short-term successes must be rewarded
premature victory
no anchoring: change that is not seen to be beneficial will decay; successors must champion the changes of their predecessors

Nadler depicts change as being a cintinuous cycle rather than a linear process and identifies three core elements that managers should focus on during the transformational process:

- the need to manage organisational power
- the need to motivate people to participate in the change, particularly dealing with anxieties associated with change
the need to manage the transition itself

Goshal and Bartlett argue the importance of sequencing and implementation of activities in a change process. Three transformational change phases where identified, which 3?

- Rationalisation: streamlining operations
- Revitalisation: leveraging resources and linking opportunities in the organisation
- Regeneration: managing business unit operations while also collaborating in other areas of the organisation to achieve performance

"The ten commandments"
Kanter, Stein and Jack identified 10 steps in managing change, which they labeled as the 'ten commandments' which 10?

1. Analyse the need for change
2. Create a shared vision
3. Separate from the past
4. Create a sense of urgency
5. Support an influential leader role
6. Establish political relationships within the company
7. Create an implementation plan
8. Develop enabling structures
9. Communicate and involve people
10. Reinforce and institutionalize change

What is a contradiction within the 10 commandments?

They help provide change strategists and implementers with the means of controlling change at the same time the opposite is required.

Example, might need to take risk instead of controlling. Finally, although the change model calls for a strong leader ,the reality may be one of multiple leaders

Lewin's change mode.
(most famous model)
Kurt lewin argued that change has 3 main stages, each requiring specific actions from the change students. Which 3 main stages?

1. Unfreezing: changing attitudes by making people uncomfortable about the way things are and so establishing the motive to change
2. Moving: implementing the change to achieve the desired new stage
3. Refreezing: embedding or institutionalizing the new behaviors, to prevent people from drifting back to previous ways of doing things

What are the three critical observations on stage models?

1. These models rarely refer to what has gone on before the intervention

2. It may be helpful to extend the timeline forward, beyond 'consolidate' and 'institutionalise' even changes that are successful will eventually decay without appropriate maintenance

3. Stage models leave change management to determine how in practice to apply their advice in a given context.

There is no clear unambiguous statement of 'this is what to do'

What is the difference between the views of the change management and the contingency approach on the best way of change?

Change management argues that there is one best approach for introducing change

Contingency approach: states that the way of change depends on the scale of the change and the receptivity of organisational members for engaging in the change

Huy's ideal types of contingency change.
Huy categorised contingency change approaches into four ideal types. What four?

1. Commanding: change intervention which seems short term and sudden. Usually implemented by senior executives who demand compiance from the rest of the organisation. (downsizing, outsourcing and divestments)

2. Engineering: change intervention which is medium-term oriented, with a relatively fast change perspective, usually involves changing work and operational systems

3. Teaching: change intervention take take longer-term perspective. Assisted by outside process consultants, employees are usually thought on how to change their work practices and behaviors.

4. Socializing: also long-term, and develops employees through participative experiential learning, based on self-monitoring and democratic organisational processes.

Why are contingency approaches not used that very often?

This has to do with the question of the extent to which the change management programs are appropriate for different periods, leadership styles and situations

How does Pettigrew sees change?

He sees change as a complix mix of content, process and context.

What is the most challenging question for Pettigrew ?

" is it possible to describe and codify tasks and skills appropriate for such a contextually sensitive activity as managing strategic change WITHOUT reducing the change process to a mechanical and overdetermined set of phases or stages and the activities of changing to a set of platitudinous generalities?"

Dawson developed this processual perspective further by claiming that to understand change, we must consider what things?

The past, present and future context of the organisation
The substance of the change itself
the transition process, tasks, activities, decisions, timing, sequencing
The interaction between these factors

Dawson identifies five aspects of the internal context, what five?

Human resources, administrative structures, technology, product or service and the organisation's history and culture

Dawson also describes four key features of the substance of change, what four?

The scale, its defining characteristics, its perceived centrality and the period of the change initiatives.

Processual perspectives appear to have 3 limitations, what 3?

- change is in danger of being presented as overly complex and confusing and thus unmanageable

- those who are involved in the change process are sometimes portrayed as minor characters in a broad sequence of events, rather than as proactive actors of change

- it does not lend itself readily to the identification of specific guidelines, focusing on awareness rather than prescription

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Organisational theory and dynamics

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Change management, Processual and Contingency approaches

16 important questions on Change management, Processual and Contingency approaches

Kotter identifies typical mistakes hat cause transformational changes to fail, name the 8 typical mistakes

Nadler depicts change as being a cintinuous cycle rather than a linear process and identifies three core elements that managers should focus on during the transformational process:

Goshal and Bartlett argue the importance of sequencing and implementation of activities in a change process. Three transformational change phases where identified, which 3?

"The ten commandments"Kanter, Stein and Jack identified 10 steps in managing change, which they labeled as the 'ten commandments' which 10?

What is a contradiction within the 10 commandments?

Lewin's change mode.(most famous model)Kurt lewin argued that change has 3 main stages, each requiring specific actions from the change students. Which 3 main stages?

What are the three critical observations on stage models?

What is the difference between the views of the change management and the contingency approach on the best way of change?

Huy's ideal types of contingency change.Huy categorised contingency change approaches into four ideal types. What four?

Why are contingency approaches not used that very often?

How does Pettigrew sees change?

What is the most challenging question for Pettigrew ?

Dawson developed this processual perspective further by claiming that to understand change, we must consider what things?

Dawson identifies five aspects of the internal context, what five?

Dawson also describes four key features of the substance of change, what four?

Processual perspectives appear to have 3 limitations, what 3?

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"The ten commandments"
Kanter, Stein and Jack identified 10 steps in managing change, which they labeled as the 'ten commandments' which 10?

Lewin's change mode.
(most famous model)
Kurt lewin argued that change has 3 main stages, each requiring specific actions from the change students. Which 3 main stages?

Huy's ideal types of contingency change.
Huy categorised contingency change approaches into four ideal types. What four?