Models and theories of planned change

Chapter 6

Change Management and System Implementation

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

“Systematic process of applying the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to effect change in transforming an organization from its current state to some future desired state as defined by its vision”

Must also consider altering behavior patterns of people within the organization

Includes both a vision and a plan

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Change management is focused more on changing employees’ attitudes and behavior than OD, which is also interested in changing employees’ attitudes and behaviors. But CM is only one part of an OD intervention.

Change management can be used on projects, which can be either larger or smaller in scope, because it is only focused on changing the attitudes and behaviors of the individuals in that organization, which are important in any OD project.

Change management must consider altering the mindset and behavior patterns of the people within that organization.

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT TERMINOLOGY

External and internal forces for change

Change agent or change leader

Gap analysis

Resistance to change

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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MODELS OF THE CHANGE PROCESS

Action research model

Lewin’s change model

Gleicher’s change formula

Nadler’s congruence model

Kotter’s eight-stage change model

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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ACTION RESEARCH MODEL

General perspective to use in any planned change effort

Approach to the management of change

Interaction of managerial or organizational action and research that both evaluates the action taken and provides data for future planning of the change effort

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL

Unfreezing

Destabilize (unfreeze) the old ways of doing things

People need to know what drives the change

Kotter’s (1996) sense of urgency

Psychological safety

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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LEWIN’S CHANGE MODEL

Changing/Transition

Focus on helping change the behavior

Ending  Neutral Zone  New Beginnings

Refreezing

Stabilize the organization

Often requires changes in organization’s culture and norms, policies, and practices

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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GEICHER’S CHANGE EQUATION FORMULA

Helps us assess this degree of readiness as follows C = (D × V × F) > R

C is the change, D the dissatisfaction with status quo, V the vision, F the first steps (feasibility), and R the resistance to change (costs)

All three forces for change must be active to offset the forces against the change

If any one of the three is missing, the product of the equation will tend toward zero, and resistance to change will dominate.

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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NADLER’S CONGRUENCE MODEL

Need congruence (“fit”) between the various organizational subsystems for optimal performance

Components

Input, strategy, output, and operating organization

Transformation processes

Strategy, work, people, formal organization (structure), and informal organization (culture)

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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People

NADLER’S CONGRUENCE MODEL

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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KOTTER’S EIGHT-STAGE MODEL

First four stages focus on “unfreezing”

Establishing a greater sense of urgency

Creating the guiding coalition

Developing a transformational vision and strategy

Communicating the change vision

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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KOTTER’S EIGHT-STAGE MODEL

The next three stages introduce many new practices (“change/transition”)

Empowering a broad base of people to take action

Generating short-term wins

Consolidating gains and producing even more change

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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KOTTER’S EIGHT-STAGE MODEL

The last stage is required to ground the changes in the corporate culture (“refreezing”) and make them stick.

Institutionalizing new approaches in the culture

The model requires that all the stages must be worked through in order—and completely—to effect change successfully.

More than one step may be activated at any one time.

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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REASONS FOR SYSTEMS FAILURE

Leadership

Planning

Change management

Communication

Training

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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Reasons for Systems Failure: LEADERSHIP

Lack of executive support

Project managers lacking in leadership skills

Team of individuals committed to change

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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Reasons for Systems Failure: PLANNING

Clearly identified scope and strategy

Adequate funding

Adequate staff to manage the project

Time requirements estimated properly

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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Reasons for Systems Failure: CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Ongoing challenge for HR leaders and organizations

A review of the research literature on change suggests that a large percentage of change efforts end in discouraging results.

Experts suggest that the figure may be as high as 70% (Mourier & Smith, 2001; Pascale & Millemann, 1997)

Considerable room for improvement

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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Reasons for Systems Failure: COMMUNICATION

Makes the difference between success and failure

Getting people “unstuck” is a huge communication challenge

Ideally, people participate from beginning to end

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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TRAINING

Ongoing, effective training is essential

Training plan in the beginning with full training just before system will be used

Advanced training in phases

Involve power users

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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CULTURAL ISSUES IN HRIS IMPLEMENTATION

Can be helpful or harmful to the change efforts

Defined as a complex set of shared beliefs, guiding values, behavioral norms, and basic assumptions acquired over time that shape our thinking and behavior

Need to understand the organization’s cultural profile

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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CULTURAL ISSUES

Whenever there is an incongruity between the current culture and the goals of the change initiative, the culture always wins (Conner, 1998, p. 207)

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

Groups and individuals resist change

Loss of control over their lives

Leads to uncertainty about their future

Need effective two-way communication

Comfort level with current organizational performance

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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RESISTANCE TO CHANGE

Employee burnout and cynicism from series of failed change initiatives

Should be anticipated and addressed

Proactive, continuous communication and effective, ongoing training

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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USER ACCEPTANCE

Ultimately, acceptance represents project success

Understand users

Involve end users

Involve resistant users

Institute phased implementation plan

Offer rewards to encourage user participation in new system

Kavanagh, Human Resource Information Systems 4e. SAGE Publications, 2018.

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