3. Patterns of change
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The rate of change is not constant
The punctuated equilibrium paradigm
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The gradualist paradigm
The nature of change confronting most organizations
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Incremental change
Transformation change
The possibility of anticipating change
Typology of organizational change
Implication of these different types of change practice
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Deep structure
Equilibrium periods
Revolutionary periods
Focus for change efforts
The sequence of activities to achieve a desired outcome
The locus of change
New patterns of change
Impact of change on organization members
4. The rate of change is not constant
•
In 1970s, Tushman and his colleagues in Colombian university found evidence that as an
industry evolves the rate of change in not the same
– it follows a S shaped curve with a slope
– Slow beginning (lag phase) associated with experimentation and slow market penetration
– Middle period of rapid growth (log phase) as the product gains acceptance and as dominant
designs emerge
– Finally a tampering off as more advanced or completely different products attract consumers
attention
•
Gladwell (2000) noticed that only three years after fax machines were introduced over
a million machines were sold
– Many social changes do not occur gradually
– They spread like a viral epidemic
5. The punctuated equilibrium paradigm
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Gersick (1991) studied models of change in six domains
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Individual change
Group Development
Organisational Development
History of Science
Biological Evolution
Physical Sience
Gersick (1991) found support for the punctuated equilibrium paraigm in every domain
– Relatively long periods of stability (equilibrium)
– Punctuated by compact periods of qualitative metamorphic change (revolution)
6. The punctuated equilibrium paradigm
•
Deep Structure
– fundamental choices an organization makes that determine the basic activity patterns that
maintain its existence (Gersick 1991)
– They are highly stable (Gersick 1991)
– Tushman and Romanelli (1985) indentified five key domains of organization activity
• Organizational culture, strategy, structure, power distribution and control systems
•
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Equilibrium Periods
Revolutionary periods
– Weick & Quinn (1999) note that punctuated equilibrium theorists posit that episodes of
revolutionary change occur during periods of divergence when there is a growing
misalignment between organization’s deep structure and perceived environmental demands
– Inertia maintains the state that Lewin (1947) described as stable, quasi stationary equilibrium
until misalignment reaches the point where major changes are precipitated
7. The nature of Change confronting most
organizations
•
Incremental Change
– According to the punctuated equilibrium paradigm, incremental change is associated with
those periods when the industry is in equilibrium and the focus for change is ‘doing things
better’ through a process of continuous tinkering, adaptation and modification
•
Transformational Change
– According to the punctuated equilibrium paradigm, transformational change occurs during
periods of disequilibrium
8. The possibility of anticipating Change
•
Sometimes it is relatively easy to anticipate the need for change
– Like companies operating in EU can anticipate changes being discussed in Brussels
– Where margins are being squeezed there is an anticipation for the need of greater efficiencies
or to generate new income streams
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Some organizations are proactive
Some organizations are reactive
When change is forced
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There is less time for planning
There is unlikely to be sufficient time to involve many people
There will be little time to experiment
Late movers may have little opportunities to influence shifts in market and technologies
9. A typology of organizational change
Incremental
Transformational
Proactive
Tuning
Reorientation
Reactive
Adaptation
Recreation
10. Implications of different types of change
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Focus of Change effort
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Sequence of activities required to achieve a
desired outcome
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Unfreeze
Move
Refreeze
Locus for change
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Tasks, Structure, people and culture
Intensity, that is the level of trauma and
dislocation, of the change
New Patterns of Change
– Speed of Change
– Strategic Drift
Least intense
Tuning
Adaptation
Most intense
Reorientation Recreation
11. Impact of Change on Organizational Members
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Transience
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Novelty
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Diversity
– When diversity converges with transience and novelty we rocket society toward an historical
crisis of adaptation. We create an environment so ephemeral, unfamiliar and complex as to
threaten millions with adaptive breakdown. This breakdown is future shock.
– Managing and changing organizations appears to be getting more rather than less difficult,
and more rather than less important. Given the rapidly changing environment in which
organizations operate, there is little doubt that the ability to manage these successfully needs
to be a core competence for organizations.
13. The process of change management
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Nature of change as a process
Models of stages in the process of managing change
Key steps in the change process
14. Nature of change as a process
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Intentional management of change
– Force field
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Achieving lasting change
– Unfreezing
– Movement
– Refreezing
15. Models of Stages in the process of managing
change
•
Lippitt et al (1958) expanded Lewin’s three stage model. After reviewing descriptions of
change in persons, groups, organizations and communities, they felt that the moving
phase divided naturally into three substages.
– The clarification or diagnosis of client’s problem
– The examination of alternative routes and goals, and the establishment of goals and intentions
for action
– The transformation of intentions into actual change efforts
16. •
Egan (1996) developed a model that is based on Lewin’s three stages, but it focuses
most attention on the unfreezing and moving phases, with detailed consideration being
given to the assessment of the current scenario (diagnosis), the creation of a preferred
scenario (visioning) and the design of plans that moves the system from the current to
the preffered scenario (planning for change)
– The current scenario
– The preferred scenario
– Strategies and plans for moving to the preferred scenario
17. Key Steps in the Change Process
•
Change is often managed less effectively than it might be because those responsible for
managing it fail to attend to some of the critical aspects of the change process
•
Steps in the change process
