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Unit 12: Organisational Change

unacceptable and that change is worth the effort. In essence, individuals surrender by Notes
allowing the boundaries of their status quo to be opened in preparation for change.
2. Change or moving: If unfreezing succeeds, people want to make a change, but they still
need to see a path to a better state. In the moving stage, new attitudes, values and behaviours
are substituted for old ones. Organisations accomplish moving by initiating new options
and explaining the rationale for the change, as well as by providing training to help
employees develop the new skills needed.
The transformation stage requires altering one or more characteristics of the work setting:
(a) The structure and systems of the organisation;
(b) Social factors – characteristics of employees, the way they interact, the organisational
culture;
(c) The organisation's technology and/or
(d) The physical setting.
The implication is that changes in the work setting will lead to changes in individual
behaviour, which in turn will improve the organisation's outcomes.
3. Refreezing: For the change to endure, it must be reinforced as part of a new system. Lewin
calls this step 'refreezing'. Refreezing is the final step in the change process. In this step,
new attitudes, values and behaviours are established as the new status quo. In some cases,
the people affected by the change will clearly benefit from it. The resulting benefits will
themselves reinforce the change. In other cases, the manager needs to take an active role
in reinforcing the change. The new ways of operating should be cemented and reinforced.
Managers should ensure that the organisational culture and formal reward system
encourage the new behaviours and avoid rewarding the old ways of operating.

Force Field Analysis

A useful technique for analyzing change situations is Kurt Lewin's force-field analysis method.
This technique describes and analyses the various forces that operate in social systems to keep
the system either in balance or in state of change. Lewin's method proposes that two sets of
forces operate in any system: forces that operate for change (the driving forces) and forces that
operate against change (the resisting forces). If the two sets of forces are equal in strength, then
the system is in equilibrium. This is explained through the Figure 12.2 which shows a force field
analysis of a decision to engage in exercise behaviour.
Figure 12.2: Force-field Analysis of Equilibrium

FORCES FOR CHANGE FORCES FOR

STATUS QUO
Weight gain Lack of time

Minimally passing treadmill No exercise facility
test at work

Feel lethargic; having no Equilibrium Spouse/partner hates
energy to exercise

Family history of No interest in physical
cardiovascular disease activity or sports
New Physically Made a grade of D in
demanding job physical education class
Source: Debra L Nelson and James Campbell Quick "Organisation Behaviour – Foundations, Realities and
Challenges" (Second Edition) West Publishing Company, Minneapolis (1997) Page 552.

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