What is Change?

Definitions of change: {Source: Organizational Behavior By S.P. Robbins + Own

Understanding}

According to Stephen P. Robbins - Change is concerned with making things different. Things must be
different because they change constantly.

As a society, we have been moving from old to the new. And we are still in motion. Caught between
eras, we experience turbulence. – John Naisbett

Change can be defined as – When an organizational system is disturbed by some internal or external
force, change frequently occurs. Change as a process, is simply modification of the structure or process
of a system. It may be good or bad, the concept is descriptive only.

Change is difficult to define because each organization will face its own challenges and, therefore, its own
rationale for change. Equally, each organization has differing resources, company culture and personal
dynamics. The leaders of individual organizations have varying aims. Among all differences, one point
remains intact and that is change is the only permanent thing that modern day organizations of varying
businesses, sizes and ethnicity have to adopt in order to survive and sustain.

Resistance To Change :-
{Source:www.changingmindes.org}

Definition

Resistance to change is the action taken by individuals and groups when they perceive that a change
that is occurring as a threat to them.

Key words here are 'perceive' and 'threat'. The threat need not be real or large for resistance to occur.

In its usual description it refers to change within organizations, although it also is found elsewhere in
other forms. Resistance is the equivalent of objections in sales and disagreement in general discussions.

Resistance may take many forms, including active or passive, overt or covert, individual or organized,
aggressive or timid.

People resist change when { Source:

www.managingchange.biz/index.html}

• They believe change is unnecessary or will make the situation worse.

• They fear that the change will mean personal loss - of security, money, status, friends or freedom.
• They had no input into the decision.
• The change was a surprise.
• They are not confident that the change will succeed.
• They feel manipulated because the changes were kept secret during the planning stage.
• They subscribe to the belief, "If it's not broken, don't fix it."
• They believe that the organization lacks the necessary resources to implement the change.

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 • People support change when:
• They expect that it will result in some personal gain.
• They expect a new challenge as a result.
• They believe that the change makes sense and is the right thing to do.
• They were given an opportunity to provide input into the change.
• They respect the person who is championing the change.
• They believe it is the right time for the change.

Different Types of Change :-

{Source:www.businessmanagement.suite101.com}

Different kinds of change require different strategies and plans to effectively gain employee engagement
and acceptance of change. The three types of change that occur most frequently in organizations are
developmental, transitional and transformational. Change management theories effectively support how
to deal with developmental and transitional change, but are less effective at dealing with successfully
implementing transformational change. A critical step in determining which approach to use in
overcoming resistance to implementing organization change is to determine which type of change the
organization is experiencing.

Developmental Change

Developmental change occurs when a company makes an improvement to their current business. If a
company decided to improve their processes, methods or performance standards this would be
considered developmental change. Companies are continually processing developmental change to some
degree in order to stay competitive. This type of change should cause little stress to current employees
as long as the rationale for the new process is clearly conveyed and the employees are educated on the
new techniques. When major change such as the decision to close a division, if the company attempted
to implement developmental change as the first step in streamlining the business, employees may be
more likely to accept the change. The employees could see that the company attempted different
strategies before determining that closing the division was the only option.

Transitional Change

Transitional change is more intrusive than developmental change as it replaces existing processes or
procedures with something that is completely new to the company. The period when the old process is
being dismantled and the new process is being implemented is called the transitional phase. A corporate
reorganization, merger, acquisition, creating new products or services, and implementing new technology
are examples of transitional change. Transitional change may not require a significant shift in culture or
behavior but it is more challenging to implement than developmental change. The future of the
organization is unknown when the transformation begins which can add a level or discomfort to
employees.

The outcome of transitional change is unknown so employees may feel that their job is unstable and their
own personal insecurities may increase. Education on the new procedures should be commenced at each
stage of the new process. This will allow employees to feel that they are actively involved and engaged in
the change. As an employee’s level of engagement in the new procedure increases, their resistance to
change may decrease. Management should be cognizant of the impact and stress these changes will
have on their employees. The company should continue to inform the employees of their status offer
support in helping them deal with the personal adjustments they will be forced to make.

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Transformational Change

Transformational change occurs after the transition period. Transformational change may involve both
developmental and transitional change. It is common for transitional and transformation change to occur
in tandem. When companies are faced with the emergence of radically different technologies, significant
changes in supply and demand, unexpected competition, lack of revenue or other major shifts in how
they do business, developmental or transitional change may not offer the company the solution they
need to stay competitive. Instead of methodically implementing new processes, the company may be
forces to drastically transform themselves.

Conclusion

Articulating the reasons for the change and sharing the vision of the senior leaders of the organization
can help alleviate some of the resistance to change. Employees will naturally resist change but are more
likely to accept the change if they view top management as keeping them informed and supporting them
throughout the process. Employees will look for a rationale for the implementation of this major change.
Top management should be prepared to involve employees in all phases of the transition.

There are also other types of change such as :- {Source: Class Note}

A. Operational Change

B. Anticipatory Change

C. Happened Change

D. Planned / Developmental Change

E. Re-active Change

F. Incidental Change

G. Total Change

H. Strategic Change

I. Directional Change

J. Fundamental Change

K. Transformational Change

L. Revolutionary Change

M. Recreational Change

Managing Change:- {Source:

www.oursouthwest.com/SusBus/mggchange.html}

“It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones who are most
responsive to change” Charles Darwin
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“To cope with a changing world, an entity must develop the capacity of shifting and changing – of
developing new skills and attitudes; in short, the capability of learning” A De Gues.

Managing change means managing people's fear. Change is natural and good, but people's reaction to
change is unpredictable and irrational. It can be managed if done right.

Managing change is a very important factor in the success of every business.

So managers think creatively about how they manage change, whilst avoiding many of the pitfalls that
other companies have encountered.

Organisations manage change as they seek to become more sustainable through resource efficiency and
taking corporate responsibility for the effects of the business on the wider community. It can also be used
as a tool by environmental business support organisations when assisting companies.

It is little more than the application of common sense and good management practice, but all too
often some of these elements are overlooked. By taking a systematic approach to implementing change,
managers can be more successful in taking colleagues with them and achieving their objectives.

The four key factors for success when implementing change within an organisation are:

1. Pressure for change – demonstrated senior management commitment is essential

2. A clear, shared vision – you must take everyone with you. This is a shared agenda that
benefits the whole organization

3. Capacity for change – you need to provide the resources:

Time and Finance.

4. Action – and Performance –“Plan, Do, Check, Act” – and keep communication channels open.

Tips for Managing Change

{Source:www.ncrel.org}

Dennis Sparks, Executive Director of the National Staff Development Council, offers these 13 tips for
managing the complex and difficult change process (Sparks, 1993):

1. Educate the leaders of change, including both principals and teachers.

2. Use a "systems" approach to ensure that all aspects of the school organization are considered
when planning and implementing change.
3. Use a team approach that involves many stakeholders in the change process.
4. Share power with teachers and others to encourage the implementation of the change efforts.
5. Make plans, but "hold your plans loosely." Develop plans, but know that they will have to be
adapted to change as needs change.
6. Realize that there is a tension between establishing readiness for change and the need to get
people implementing new approaches quickly. While getting people intellectually ready for change
is something to be considered, it should not take so much time and effort that people lose interest
and motivation.

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 7. Provide considerable amounts of training and staff development for those involved. These
activities can include everything from holding study groups to "on-the-dash" coaching.
8. Choose innovative practices for and with teachers that are research-based and "classroom
friendly." Picking approaches that have been used or researched can help the implementation of
those approaches.
9. Recognize that change happens only through people. The emotional effects of change on
educators need to be considered and understood by all involved in the change process.
Understanding resistance and working with it is key.
10. Be prepared for "implementation dip." Fullan (1993) and others note that things often get worse
temporarily before improvement begins to appear.
11. Help educators and others develop an "intellectual understanding" of the new practices. While the
outcomes are important to assess, people also need to understand the underlying meanings and
functions of the practices.
12. Seek out "paradigm shifters" and "idea champions" who are interested in making substantial
changes in practice.
13. Take the long view; realize that change takes time and should not be forced to occur too quickly.

My Own View:-
If I have to curtail down my own view about the prolonged discussion then I can say that “Change Is The
Only Constant Thing.” Change is for the better or for the worst, depending on where we view it. If we can
change before we have to change, there will be less pain. It is uncomfortable, for changing from one
state to the next upsets, for that Resistance to Change is always there. Change is needed when all the
props and practices of the past no longer work. Change isn’t fixed by crying, worrying, or mental tread
milling. It can only be solved by Managing Change properly. Change is only a waste to those who don’t
learn from it. Change can flow or jerk, depending on our Resistance to it. Change is here to stay.

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