Running head: APPLYING KOTTER’S 8 STEPS AT WAL-MART 1 APPLYING KOTTER’S 8 STEPS AT WAL-MART 7 Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps at Wal-Mart Penny Williams HRM 560: Managing Organizational Change Dr. Allan Beck May 11, 2019 Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps at Wal-Mart John Kotter’s 8 steps process of change is widely accepted across various industries as suitable model for implementing changes within organizations. Kotter’s 8 step change model comprises of: increase urgency, build a guiding coalition, get the right vision, communicate for buy in and empower action by removing barriers. The other key steps are: create short term wins, sustain acceleration and make change stick. The first three stages focus on establishing a climate of change. Steps four to seven are about engaging and enabling a firm, while the final step is about implementing and sustaining the change (Sarayreh, Khudair & Barakat, 2013). Wal-Mart Incorporation can use Kotter’s 8 step change model to introduce changes in its human resources policies and practices. Strategies for Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps Increase Urgency Successful change effort at Wal-Mart can only happen if the organization acts with sufficient urgency. The organization must act with on your toes attitude that seeks for opportunities to solve problems, that encourages everyone within the company and that pushes for a sense of let us go. Kotter’s, according to Appelbaum et al. (2012), asserts that a change effort can become an exercise in futility without creating a sense of urgency. Successful transformation initiatives normally commence when leaders assess the market for change that can lead to competitive realities for an organization. In this regard, the chief executive officer at Wal-Mart should explain to employees that major changes in its human resource practices are imminent and encourage frank discussion within the firm. He or she should show employees valid evidence from outside the company that demonstrate the need to change. Build Guiding Team A feeling of urgency will help significantly in constituting the right team to guide change process within the company and in establishing essential teamwork among members. By creating urgency, many employees at Wal-Mart would want to provide help even if there would be personal risks. Appelbaum et al. (2012), in their support, observe that many people would be willing to pull toward the same direction, even if they do not gain short term personal rewards. Nonetheless, additional effort would be required to get the right individuals in place with emotional commitment, teamwork as well as trust to do the work. The strategy is to show enthusiasm and commitment in order the right people into the team. Also, the Wal-Mart may structure meeting formats for the team to reduce frustration and enh.

1. Running head: APPLYING KOTTER’S 8 STEPS AT WAL-
MART 1
APPLYING KOTTER’S 8 STEPS AT WAL-MART
7
Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps at Wal-Mart
Penny Williams
HRM 560: Managing Organizational Change
Dr. Allan Beck
May 11, 2019
Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps at Wal-Mart
John Kotter’s 8 steps process of change is widely accepted
across various industries as suitable model for implementing
changes within organizations. Kotter’s 8 step change model
comprises of: increase urgency, build a guiding coalition, get
the right vision, communicate for buy in and empower action by
removing barriers. The other key steps are: create short term
wins, sustain acceleration and make change stick. The first three
stages focus on establishing a climate of change. Steps four to
seven are about engaging and enabling a firm, while the final
step is about implementing and sustaining the change (Sarayreh,
Khudair & Barakat, 2013). Wal-Mart Incorporation can use
Kotter’s 8 step change model to introduce changes in its human
resources policies and practices.
Strategies for Applying Kotter’s 8 Steps
Increase Urgency
Successful change effort at Wal-Mart can only happen if
the organization acts with sufficient urgency. The organization

2. must act with on your toes attitude that seeks for opportunities
to solve problems, that encourages everyone within the
company and that pushes for a sense of let us go. Kotter’s,
according to Appelbaum et al. (2012), asserts that a change
effort can become an exercise in futility without creating a
sense of urgency. Successful transformation initiatives normally
commence when leaders assess the market for change that can
lead to competitive realities for an organization. In this regard,
the chief executive officer at Wal-Mart should explain to
employees that major changes in its human resource practices
are imminent and encourage frank discussion within the firm.
He or she should show employees valid evidence from outside
the company that demonstrate the need to change.
Build Guiding Team
A feeling of urgency will help significantly in constituting
the right team to guide change process within the company and
in establishing essential teamwork among members. By creating
urgency, many employees at Wal-Mart would want to provide
help even if there would be personal risks. Appelbaum et al.
(2012), in their support, observe that many people would be
willing to pull toward the same direction, even if they do not
gain short term personal rewards. Nonetheless, additional effort
would be required to get the right individuals in place with
emotional commitment, teamwork as well as trust to do the
work. The strategy is to show enthusiasm and commitment in
order the right people into the team. Also, the Wal-Mart may
structure meeting formats for the team to reduce frustration and
enhance trust.
Get the Right Vision and Strategy
In many cases, guiding teams may fail to set clear
direction or adopt sensible visions. The consequences can be
tragic for Wal-Mart and painful to the employees. For
successful change effort, the guiding team at Wal-Mart should
answer questions that may help create a clear sense of direction.

3. Kotter (2012) observes that it is important to know the type of
change required, the vision of the new firm, the things that
should not be changed, and the effective ways for making the
vision a reality. Also, it is also important to identify the change
strategies that are unacceptably dangerous. By doing so, an
organization can position itself on the right path for a better
future. The guiding team at Wal-Mart should try to visualize the
possible future and have clear visions that can be articulated in
a minute. The vision should be moving and the strategies must
be bold to make the visions a reality.
Communicate Vision for Buy In
The change initiatives at Wal-Mart cannot be successful, if
the guiding team fails to disseminate the vision and strategies.
The direction for change must be widely communicated
throughout the organization for understanding and buy in. Small
et al. (2016) indicate that the objective is to get as many
individuals as possible aspiring to make the vision a reality.
According to Kotter (2012) an effective vision is desirable,
focused and communicable. In addition, the vision must be
imaginable, feasible and flexible. Developing an effective
vision is a challenging process that takes time, but the final
product provides a clear path for the future. The strategy is to
keep the communication simple rather complex and
technocratic. Moreover, the guiding team at Wal-Mart should do
some homework before communication in order to understand
people’s feelings. It is important to address people’s anxieties,
distrust and confusion. Most importantly, the team should use
new technologies such as the intranet to help workers see the
vision.
Empower Broad Based Action
Successful change can happen when people at Wal-Mart
begin to not only understand, but act on the change vision as
well. The management and employees must be ready to remove
hindrances on their paths. Kotter asserts that the boss could be
the single most obstacle to change effort. Subordinates may see

4. embrace the vision and want to assist, but are shut down by the
boss. System barrier is another source of disempowerment.
Bureaucracy including layers in the hierarchy, procedures plus
rules may tie the hands of workers who want to achieve the
change vision. Lack of information about the change initiative
is also a common source of disempowerment (Kotter, 2012).
Finding persons with change experience who know how to
bolster people’s self-confidence can deal effectively with
hindrances that block actions at Wal-Mart. The other strategy is
use of rewards and recognition to inspire and promote optimism.
Issuing of regular feedback that can help employees make
effective vision related decisions can also help in removing
barriers that block action.
Generate Short Term Wins
In successful change initiatives, empowered individuals
create short term wins to nourish faith in change initiative. Wal-
Mart requires short term wins to keep critics at bay and help in
building momentum. Without short term wins that are
unambiguous, time and meaningful, the change efforts at the
organization can run into deep problems. Kotter (2012) observes
that successful and enduring efforts take time to build, which
can be discouraging to workers at all levels of an organization.
To maintain urgency, leaders must create conditions that do not
only support early success but visible improvements as well. It
is important to produce enough short-term wins that are visible
to many people throughout the organization. The wins should be
unambiguous and meaningful to permeate emotional defenses.
Also, the wins should be easily and cheaply attainable, even if
they appear small compared to the grand vision.
Consolidate Gain and Produce More Change
After creating short term wins, the change initiative at
Wal-Mart will have direction plus momentum. The organization
will build on the momentum to help realize the change vision by
keeping the urgency up and lowering the feeling of false pride.
Wal-Mart will eliminate the unnecessary and demoralizing
human resources policies and not declare victory prematurely.

5. According to Appelbaum et al. (2012) Kotter identifies sagging
urgency as the primary problem during this stage. People begin
to relax by declaring victory prematurely. It is important to take
on some easier problems to create a few wins and generate a
momentum. Also, the organization can utilize the early success
as the basis for larger challenges and revise policies and
systems that contradict the change vision. Furthermore, Wal-
Mart should aggressively rid itself of the human resources
policies that wears it down.
Anchor New Approaches into the Culture
Tradition is a formidable force that can drag down leaps
into the future. Wal-Mart can keep the new human resource
practices in place by creating a new, supportive as well as
sufficiently formidable organizational culture. Kotter (2012)
asserts that a supportive culture provides the foundation for the
new methods or ways of operating. It will keep the new human
resource practices working to make Wal-Mart a success. For
Wal-Mart to anchor the new human resources approaches into
its culture, it must not stop at step seven because it is not over
until the new policies have roots. Telling clear stories over and
over again about the new Wal-Mart, what it does and reasons
for its success can also help in making sure that the change
sticks.
References
Appelbaum, S. H., Habashy, S., Malo, J. L., & Shafiq, H.
(2012). Back to the future: Revisiting Kotter's 1996 change
model. Journal of Management Development, 31(8), 764-782.
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Boston, MA: Harvard
business press.
Sarayreh, B. H., Khudair, H., & Barakat, E. A. (2013).
Comparative study: The Kurt Lewin of change management.
International Journal of Computer and Information Technology,
2(4), 626-629.
Small, A., Gist, D., Souza, D., Dalton, J., Magny-Normilus, C.,
& David, D. (2016). Using Kotter's change model for

6. implementing bedside handoff: A quality improvement project.
Journal of Nursing Care Quality, 31(4), 304-309.
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