Management of change

in organizations
Scope of this topic
1. Introduction to the basics of management of change
2. Difference between change management and management of
change
3. Why manage organizational change
4. Resistance to change
5. Overcoming resistance to change
6. Kurt lewin’s model of managing change
1.0 Introduction
• Successful organizations always embrace and champion change as a
way of remaining relevant and competitive. This flexibility to change
helps them to be better than their rivals when it comes to meeting
new customer demands, observing new established laws and
regulations, growing in size etc
• It is for the above reasons that scholars like Amstrong (2009), Pollard
(2020) and Nangoli (2022) among other chain of scholars, argue that
change is the only constant in life. Organisation Change can come in
form of opening up a new branch, changing office lay out, changing
the managers of the organization, manufacturing new products, hiring
new staff, changing working hours etc
What is change
• To Change, means to make something or someone to be different. To change is to alter or
modify. Therefore change can also be used to mean the act or process through which
something / someone becomes different.
• Armstrong (2009) defined change as any changes in structure, management, employees,
processes, and other related activities.
• According to Pollard (2020), those who initiate change will have a better opportunity to
manage the change that is inevitable
• According to Nangoli (2022), change is a movement from one state or form of existence to
another state of existence. These states of existence can be in terms of size, shape, nature,
scope or otherwise. This change has to be managed so that the organization can maximize
resultant benefits and mitigate resultant costs. For example, an organization must anticipate
the likely change in customer tastes such that it produces and provides the products that
continually meet the demands of customers. Failure to do that may make customers run to
the competitors for better products and services.
Difference between change management
and management of change

• When dealing with change, there are two terms that are often used,
misused, and misunderstood. These terms are “management of
change” and “change management.”
• Management of change is about dealing with the technical side of
change, often seen in a manufacturing or industrial setting, but it can
be applied anywhere.
• Change management is about dealing with the people side of change,
or changing people’s behavior.
1.2 What are the drivers/causes of change in
organizations
• Catastrophe: Natural disaster e.g the recent covid-19, Wars like the recent Russia Ukraine war,
Fire, accidents, extreme weather
• Technology advances; These generate new ways of doing things better and always influence
organizations to revise or drop the old ways of operation.
• Laws: Regulations and laws can change, making compliance mandatory
• Competition: New competition can force a re-evaluation of a company’s place in the market
• Regime shift: New owners and new management can compel change from the rest of the
company
• Environment: Economic collapse, changing cultural mores and an influx of new
markets/population can all induce a need to change
• Visionary potential of the Top management; In some organisations the Top management may
be so brilliant or may offer avenues that enable staff to be innovative and thus mastermind
changes in the organization. Example is steve Jobs the former CEO at apple company.
• Performance Gaps; if Goals are not being achieved, this is reason enough for changes to be
made
• etc
Benefits that result from
organizational change
• New Business Opportunities; The ability to embrace change will
continually help organizations to search, find and nurture new
business ideas and opportunities.
• Helps organizations to remain competitive; Those organizations that
embrace change are often innovative and this helps them to
continually come up with value adding innovations which makes them
the best in their industry.
• Promotes skills Growth; Human resources are still a valued resource
of the organization and so the culture of embracing changes helps
them to grow skills further. This helps the organization to stay most
competitive and also helps employees to stay employed.
Benefits that result from
organizational change ….
continued
• Better staff morale; As organizations keep repeating positive benefits
from change , then the morale of the staff involved
• etc
Costs/losses that may result
from change
• Changes can lead to closure of business; for example the technological
changes led to elimination of typewriters etc
• Changes can lead to loss of competitiveness; For example a change in tax
policy may erode the financial muscle of business and make it lose
competiveness.
• Stress; change comes with uncertainty and so change can make people to get
high stress levels hence affecting their well being and health
• Loss of jobs; changes like restructuring can lead to loss of jobs in case of
downsizing
• Demotivation; changes that lead to reduction fo staff rewards can make
workers demotivated hence affecting organizational productivity.
• etc
1.5 Types of organizational
change
• Organizations commonly respond to the challenges of new
technologies, competitors, new markets, and greater performance
requirements with different programs, each designed to overcome
obstacles and boost business performance ( (Luecke & Beer, 2003).
Therefore, it is important to anticipate the various types of
organizational change and respond appropriately. These types
include;
Types of organizational
change…
(i) Developmental change –
Any organizational change that improves and optimizes on previously
established processes, strategies and procedures. This is also called
remedial change. According to (Karaxha, Karaxha, & Ramosaj, 2018),
they are organizational change programs that address issues of
centralization and decentralization, division of general management
tasks from specific activities, how these activities should be divided into
different parts of the organization, and how they should be directed,
controlled, coordinated and integrated.
Types of organizational change…
(ii) Transitional change –Change that moves an organization away from
its current state to a new state in order to solve a problem, such as mergers
and acquisitions, automations and substantial diversification of operating
units. They are basically aimed at achieving greater performance in the
company.
(iii) Transformational change – These are processes that provide an
organization to develop and implement major programs, and strategically
respond to new requirements and continue to function effectively in the
dynamic environment in which it operates ( (Karaxha, Karaxha, & Ramosaj,
2018) Transformational Change radically and fundamentally alters the
culture, core values and operations.
Types of organizational change…
iv) Personnel change– Change that happens in the form of lay off or
new hires. It is usually characterized by anxiety as might be expected
from layoffs as well as challenges new hires experience while
acclimatizing to new organization culture.
V) System and process changes – These are changes that affect
operations, agreements, and practices that work for all employees or
part of an organization. They occur when operational methods are
revised, new technology is introduced or existing technology is
modified (Karaxha, Karaxha, & Ramosaj, 2018).
VI) Unplanned change- This change usually is a necessary action
following unexpected events. While unplanned change cannot be
predicted — it can be dealt with in an organized manner. For example
when a CEO suddenly leaves or when a security breach occurs.
1.6 Levels of Change in Change
Management
Change management can be regarded on three levels to clarify a quickly shifting
approach: The Enterprise Level, The Project Level, and The individual Level (Smith, 2018)
as discussed below;
(1) Individual Change
• Humans are naturally resistant to change, but when they are open to new ideas and
embrace change, they become extremely resilient. Individual change management
entails a grasp of change and what must be done to succeed.
• As a change advocate, there is need to know what will help employees make a smooth
transition and how to express the organization’s vision effectively. It requires
identification of the most important messages for people to hear. This goes beyond
simply teaching new abilities and instead focuses on changing behavior.
• Individual change management makes use of sciences such as psychology, with a focus
on long-term sustainability. The ADKAR Model, which emphasizes how to facilitate
change from a behavioral aspect, is one of the most extensively utilized change models.
The basic purpose of individual change is to put in place actionable frameworks for
maximum impact.
(ii) Project Change
• Individual change is a tremendous foundation for success, but managing
change on a person-by-person basis is tough. Therefore, the change agent
can adopt methodical stages on a project level using organizational change
management, which support those who are accountable for effective
execution.
• This begins with identifying the groups that need to change and setting
clear goals. It involves understanding of the ultimate aim, and the expected
change individuals in order to achieve it. It requires an increase in staff
awareness and leadership with a tailored action plan. Because
organizational transformation is impossible without the participation of
employees, there is need to involve them at every stage. If people’s ideas
and counsel are taken into account after people are open to the idea of
change, they will embrace your strategy even more.
• Organizational change should align with project management, to effectively
embrace and adopt the project’s solutions.
(III) Enterprise Change
• This is the last step in executing change successfully. Change should be ingrained
in the fundamental principles once it has been accepted on an individual and
organizational level. By this time, the change has become ingrained in the
organizational culture, and goals have been realized. As the organization adapts
to an ever-changing business scene, it will set itself apart from the competitors.
Change management will have been applied to roles, processes, and structures,
and the core competencies will have improved considerably as a result.
• Change champions can lead teams through change with personnel who have not
only embraced, but accepted new values as the standard, if they apply
themselves consistently. Employees will understand exactly what they need to do
to improve their performance in their current position.
• Enterprise change management enables businesses to react swiftly to market
shifts while maintaining a focus on continuous development. There is need to
band together to support strategic goals while embracing new technology to
break through the digital clutter. A strategic approach is required for change to be
adopted at the enterprise level.
 Misconceptions about organizational change
S/N Change Strategy / Underlying Assumptions / Conceptions Misconception
Approach /Practice

1 Empirical – Rational People are rational beings and will follow It is true that people are rational. But
their self-interest – once it is revealed to by being rational to change, people
them. Successful change is based on the weigh the cost/benefit that change
communication of information and the presents. Change resistance will arise if
proffering of incentives. cost or negative impact threatens self-
interest or survival.

2 Normative –Reductive People are social beings and will adhere to In focusing solely on culture, if change
cultural norms and values. Successful goals are short term then the desired
change is based on redefining and change might not be feasible. Long
reinterpreting existing norms and values, term desired change can be feasible
and developing commitments to new ones. with dynamic leadership.
 Misconceptions about organizational change…
S/N Change Strategy / Underlying Assumptions / Conceptions Misconception
Approach /Practice

3 Power Coercive People are basically compliant and will This is based on time and seriousness
generally do what they are told or can be of threat for change. Not every
made to do. Successful change is based on individual is aware nor concerned
the exercise of authority and the about urgencies within an organization
imposition of sanctions. and force tends to have an undesired
effect on people.

4 Environmental- People oppose loss and disruption but they The major consideration here is the
Adaptive adapt readily to new circumstances. extent of the change. This strategy is
Change is based on building a new best suited for situations where radical,
organization and gradually transferring transformative change is called for. For
people from the old one to the new one gradual or incremental change, this is
not the strategy of choice.
Other misconceptions about
change include;
• Change is specific thereby only affects specific targeted Departments. In
medium to large organizations, senior managers lead change
management, but often get obstacles because of the ripple effect that
comes with change going beyond the intended department.
• Easy adaptation to change by employees within an organization. The
misconception that employees easily adapt to Change is one that is
misguided. Mixed responses will always be encountered when any
adjustments to the status quo occurs in an organization by the mere fact
that individuals tastes, preferences, ambitions are different.
• Time transformation and imminence of change. It’s inconceivable that
change happens quickly. Some responses occur in the short run and
others in the long run since change is a process and some adjustments
take time to unfold. Communicating details of needed change and getting
everyone on board within an organization is not something that can
happen overnight.
Why is organizational change
resisted
• Insecurity – sometimes changes causes insecurity to those who feel
that they are benefiting a lot from the status quo
• Economic losses- some people fear that they lose economic benefits
like allowances etc when change occurs
• Fear of the Unknown – some people generally fear exploring what is
new to them because they don’t know what lies ahead and are
pessimistic about it
• Conservativeness – organisations are made to be stable using policies,
structural inertia is developed and this also causes resistance to
change
Why is organizational change
resisted…
• Group norms- when change threatens group norms, there is a
tendency for the group members to fight it usually.
• etc
Overcoming resistance to
change
• Provide rewards for accepting change
• Communicate reasons for change
• Include people who will be affected
• Ensure you use the right timing
• Ensure Top management involvement
• Train people on how to change
• Provide necessary resources to facilitate the change
• etc
 Reducing Resistance to Change
Education & Participation & Facilitation &
communication involvement. support.

Resistance to Organizational Change

Negotiation & Manipulation & Coercion

agreement. co-optation.
Lewin’s Three-Step Change
Model
Unfreezing
• The unfreeze refers to the process of ‘melting’ the behaviors, beliefs or
established status quo in certain organizations or particular individual for the
purpose of decreasing the obstructive factor towards the change process. This
first stage is the foundation in preparing own-self to accept the occurring
change. In this stage, the willingness to move towards the change point is
catalyzed by the motivational desire of wishing to change, due to the sense of
necessitating toward certain new changes or to substitute the previous
behaviors
Freezing
• Following awareness for the need to change and having volleyed support for the
need to change leads to the second phase of Lewin’s model which is moving the
people to the desire to participate. Without achieving buy-in to the change
project, there will be no desire to participate. Career advancement, job security
and incentives such as compensation will enhance employees desire to
participate (Prosci, 2003). The process cannot stop at desire. Employees must
possess knowledge on how to perform the change and the ability to change.
Again, communication is the key to successfully imparting information on how
the change process will occur. Any specialized training or skills that might be
required must be provided prior to implementing the change.
Refreezing
• The third stage is a refreeze that takes place after the new change is successfully
absorbed and stable, resulting in a new culture and practices in an organization.
Once the change is implemented, it is important it stays in place. Reinforcement
of the change is vital to ensure that the change is retained (John, 1996).