• Business and Finance
• Family
• Computers and Internet
• Auto and Trucks
• Education
• Health
• Hobbies
• Home Improvement
• Legal
• Marketing

• Home
• Arthur's Articles Home
• Browse Categories
• Browse Authors
• Submit an Article
• Search for Articles

Home » Business And Finance Articles » 2 Pieces To The Puzzle Of Organizational Change

2 Pieces To The Puzzle Of Organizational Change

Kurt Lewin, the consummate applied social scientist, is responsible for giving us three of the ten concepts that support effective OC practice: Forcefield Analysis, The Three-Stage Model of Change, and the Action Research Model. I will cover the first two concepts in this article

Lewin's first concept, and practice tool, is called Forcefield Analysis. Lewin believed every organizational situation, no matter how dysfunctional, benefits someone. I have found this concept and tool to be very effective in Organizational Change practice.

Lewin believed the status quo is a result of driving forces and resisting forces. Driving forces are pushing or "driving" for change. Resisting forces exist because some parties benefit from the current situation, or status quo. Thus, the status quo is the result of the strengths of the two opposing forces.

In practice, Lewin recommended working to reduce the resisting forces, instead of increasing the driving forces. He believed simply increasing the driving forces would result in an escalation in the resisting forces against the change. The parties resisting change (supporting the status quo) are usually highly motivated.

Another concept closely associated with Forcefield Analysis is what Lewin called the Three-Step Model of Change. He believed change required three steps: unfreezing the current situation, moving, and then refreezing the new situation (a new status quo). At first glance, this may appear to be obvious and simplistic. But the steps are very important.

The OC consultant must first help the organization to see the dysfunctionality (ineffectiveness) of the current situation. Remember, we are dealing with some organizational members who benefit from the current status quo.

To move the organization or the unit (to change behavior) requires a planned intervention. This will be a time of insecurity and fear for many organizational members. Fortunately, there are many structured interventions available to OC consultants. I cover interventions in Part II of my book, "Strategic Organizational Change."

In step three, Lewin said we must "refreeze" the situation. In practice, I have found this step to be essential. In order to get the change to hold, there must be a supportive environment for the change. This means management must commit resources and reward desired behaviors; otherwise, the organizational members will slip back into their old, comfortable ways of doing things.

Anthony Buono has correctly added, "There is a significant difference between dealing with the type of episodic, discontinuous change that Lewin referred to in 1947, when he created this model (dealing, in essence, with organizational inertia), and the type of ongoing, overlapping, continuous change that is happening today." I expound on Professor Buono's comments in my chapter on Leading Change.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Credit Card Stoozing – Time To Stop Snoozing

Lets stop snoozing and start "stoozing"

Do not think that we are trying to get you involved in any criminal activities here, we're not and the whole process is legal and above board and will give you the chance to get one over on the credit card companies, who have been relieving us of our cash for many years now.

First of all you will be itching to know what "stoozing" is, well the way that it works may sound a little complicated, but when put into practice it is a lot easier than trying to explain.

Step 1

This is how it works, what you have to do is to apply for two separate credit cards that are giving you a introductory deal with a 0% interest free period and make sure that one of your new credit cards will let you transfer your credit limit into a bank account. So make sure that you have opened a high savings account at your bank, if not then putting the money into your current account will be fine, until you can open up a savings account afterwards.

Step 2

Then you come to the second of the two credit cards and this where you may find that things become a little confusing. If the second credit card does not have the facility that lets you transfer the cash from the credit card straight into the bank account, then here is what to do, ask the issuer of the second credit card to balance transfer from the first card onto the second credit card, this is a back to front way of doing things but this will move money from the second credit card to the first one. This transaction is regarded as moving a negative balance on to the other credit card, so will work in reverse. Once completed all you have to do is ask the lender of the first credit card to transfer this balance to your high interest savings account.

After you have navigated all of this, you will now be in possession of a bank balance that is gathering interest, with the satisfaction of knowing that the money that is making you money, has come from a couple of credit card companies, who have given you an interest free loan.

Remember to pay the minimum payments!

All of this doesn't come without a couple of problems that may trip you up. Firstly always and I will stress ALWAYS make sure that you meet the minimum payment and the minimum payment only and make sure that it is paid on time.

Plan ahead...

Secondly make sure that you have your next set of two 0% interest credit cards applied for 5 to 6 weeks before the original two cards are coming to the end of the 0% introductory period. Remembering that one must have the facility to transfer the cash straight into your savings account)

For credit card advice please visit here http://www.creditcards-gb.co.uk/creditcardadvice.html

As soon as these new credit cards have arrived transfer what you owe over to the first two cards to clear them and then cancel the original two credit cards, making sure that you tell the issuer to let their credit agency's know.

If for some reason that your next two credit cards are not in place, then you will have to withdraw the cash that you owe to the cards from your account and pay them off in full, because remember you are doing this to make money on the interest, not to pay it.

This can be carried on again and again, as long as you can get the 0% interest free period and you are willing to let the cash lie in the bank without touching it.