Page 31 - DMGT520_ORGANIZATION_CHANGE_AND_DEVELOPMENT

Organization Change and Development

Notes 2.5 Summary

 The OD literature has directed considerable attention to leading and managing change.
 The planned change does not come automatically; rather there are many forces in
individuals, groups and organisation which resist such change.
 The change process will never be successful unless the cooperation of employees is ensured.
Therefore, the management will have to create an environment in which change will be
amicably accepted by people. If the management can overcome the resistance the change
process will succeed.
 In a group process, there are always some forces who favor the change and some forces
that are against the change. Thus, equilibrium is maintained. Kurt Lewin calls in the “field
of forces”. Lewin assumes that in every situation there are both driving and restraining
forces which influence any change that may occur.

 Driving Forces are those, forces, which affect a situation by pushing in a particular direction.
These forces tend to initiate the change and keep it going. Restraining Forces act to restrain
or decrease – the driving forces. Equilibrium is reached when the sum of the driving forces
equals the ‘sum of the restraining forces.

2.6 Keywords

Change Agent: Person who attempts to alter some aspects of an organisation or an environment.

Magnitude of Change: Minute alterations in the operation, to quantum change.
Unfreezing: The forces, used for maintaining the status quo in the organisational behavior, are
reduced by refuting the present attitude.

2.7 Review Questions

1. Kurt Lewin suggests that planned change is a three stage process. Describe these stages.
2. Describe the various sources in the business environment from which impetus for planned
change has come in the recent years.

3. Describe forces of change.
4. Write short note on organisational level of change.

Answers: Self Assessment

1. True 2. True
3. True 4. False
5. True 6. External

7. Nature 8. Organisation
9. Refreezing

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