Page 40 - DMGT520_ORGANIZATION_CHANGE_AND_DEVELOPMENT
P. 40

Unit 3: Models of Change




          This approach treats planned change from the perspective of top management and indicates that  Notes
          change is  continuous. It  is also  important to  note that  as change  becomes  continuous  in
          organisations different steps are probably occurring simultaneously throughout the organisation.
          This model incorporates Lewin’s concept into implementation phase.
          In this approach, top management perceives that certain forces or trends call for change, and the
          issue is subjected to the organisations usual  problem solving  and decision-making  process.
          Usually, top management defines its goals in terms of what the organisation or certain processes
          or outputs will be like after the change. Alternatives for change are generated and evaluated,
          and an acceptable one is selected.

          Early in the process, the organisation may seek the assistance of a change agent – a person who
          will be responsible for managing the change effort. The change agent may also help management
          recognize and define the problem or the need for change agent may be involved in generating
          and evaluating potential plans of action. The change agent may be a member of the organisation,
          or an outsider such as a consultant, or even someone from headquarters whom employees view
          as an outsider. An internal change agent is likely to know the organisations people, task, and
          political situation, which may be helpful in interpreting data and understanding the system; but
          an insider may also be too close to the situation to view it objectively. (In addition, a regular
          employee  would have  to be  removed from  his  or her regular duties to  concentrate on  the
          transition). All parties because of his or her assumed impartiality, then, often receive an outsider,
          better. Under the direction and management of change agent, the organisation implements the
          change through Lewin’s unfreeze, change and refreeze process.
          The final step is measurement, evaluation and control. The change agent and the top management
          group assess the degree to which the change is having the desired effect; that is, they measure
          progress towards the goals of change and make appropriate changes if necessary. The more
          closely the change agent is involved in the change process, the less distinct the step becomes. The
          change agent becomes a “collaborator” or “helper” to the organisation as she or he is immersed
          in defining and solving the problems with members of the organisation. When this happens, the
          change agent may be working with many individuals, groups, and departments within the
          organisation on different phases of the change process. When the change process is moving
          along from one stage to another it may not be readily observed because of the total involvement
          of the change agent in every phase of the project. Throughout the process, however, the change
          agent brings in new ideas and viewpoints that help members look at old problems in new ways.
          Change  often arises  from the  conflict that  results when  the  change  agent challenges  the
          organization’s assumptions and generally accepted patterns of operations.

          Through the  measurement, evaluation and control phase, top management determines the
          effectiveness of the change process by evaluating various indicators of organisational productivity
          and effectiveness on employee morale. It is hoped that organisation  will be better after  the
          change than before. However, the uncertainties and rapid change in all sections of environment
          make constant organisation change a certainty for most organisations.
          Transition Management is the process of systematically planning, organizing, and implementing
          change from the disassembly of the current state to the realisation of a fully functional future
          state within an organisation (Ackerman, 1982). Once change begins, the organisation is in neither
          the old state nor the new state. Yet business must go on. Transition management ensures that
          business continues  while the change in occurring, and thus it must begin before the change
          occurs. The members of the regular management team must take on the  role of transition
          manager and coordinate organisational activities with the change agent. An interim management
          structure or interim positions may be created to ensure continuity and control of the business
          during the transition. Communication about the changes to all involved, from employees to
          customers and suppliers play a key role in transition management (Tichy and Ulrich 1984).





                                           LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY                                   35
   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45