Change management tools and their relevance to development organizations

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Introduction

Most Humans like developing routines, falling into patterns or finding a rhythm that truly resonates with us, but that is perfectly normal. Sometimes, humans will also go to great lengths to keep these routines or patterns the way that they are, even our history is rife with wars that started because people refused to change but that is okay because it works (Habas, 2019). Why would anyone change something that works? Afterall even Einstein once said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results each time” thus if the cap fits, let them wear it (Marley, 1976).

But what happens if what used to work previously stops working, if the way of life you have become used to changes outside your ability to control, what happens then. If truly change should happen with you not preparing for it, that truly would be a crisis. It is based on this that change has become one of the most studied topics in the world currently. Every academician, scientist, individual or organization now agrees that no one can truly identify what will happen in the future but one thing that is certain is that, the present will change. And therein lies the difference between the prepared and the unprepared (Sherman, 2019).

First of all, change is the preponderance of the uncertainty (threat or opportunity) that is to come because of activities or not, in the present or the future (Apau-Twerefuor, 2020). Change represents all the uncertainties of the future. Dopson & Nueman (2002) also described change as a very necessary evil in the context of survival. They were looking at how perceived change in the face of uncertainties is able to drive humanity towards improving and evolving. Change is a constant urgency in the lives of both individuals and organizations whose effects extend to their daily activities and operations (Jalagat, 2015). He saw change as the uncertainty in performing even simple and mundane activities to complex international incidents. With all thses, the aspect of change that can really be counted on is really change itself. The realization that everything is affected by change and will change for that matter. In the face of such contrasting uncertainty and surety, the difference between the prepared and the unprepared will most assuredly be unimaginable.

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Types of change

In combating change, it is only prudent that the organization be able to actually identify the change that affects it. To that end Sherman (2019) identified four variations in the type of change that affects organizations;

??????? i.??????????? Planned Vs. Unplanned: this type of change is categorised based on the degree of preparedness of the individual or organization going through the change. It cuts across all the other known types of change whether good or bad, small or big. Whether you are prepared for the change that happens denotes whether your change was planned or not.

????? ii.??????????? Company-Wide Vs. subsystem: company-wide change affects the organization as a whole whiles changes to subsystem majorly affects specific departments or units in the company. Although eventually it still affects the company, this type of change is particularly based on the source or origin of the change.

??? iii.??????????? Transformational Vs. Incremental: transformational changes are those with such reaching consequences that they cause a transformation of the person or organization bearing the change whiles incremental change represents small doses of change that gradually pile up. Examples of transformational change is mergers and acquisitions whiles incremental change may be a change in policy of the organization.

??? iv.??????????? Remedial Vs. Developmental: remedial change is the change that is targeted at fixing a specific purpose in the organization whiles developmental change is targeted at reinforcing the successes of the organization. in simpler terms, remedial changes correct a failure or inefficiency whiles developmental change builds on a success.

Change management

In light of the overwhelming uncertainties pertaining to change, organizations study changes effectively to design responses to the eventual change as it happens. Sometimes organizations are able to actually predict an exigent change and harness it to their advantage. This is explained by Huddleston (2017) as change management. That is, Change management is actually an organizations attempt to manage that one constant (Uncertainty) when doing business. Change management is the series of activities and systematic structures and procedures put in place by the organization to curb the effects of uncertainties on the operational and financial business of the organization (Thompson, 2019). She saw change as a holistic approach towards understanding how the organization is moving from point A to point B, the inherent uncertainties in such a move as well as what is expected of them.

Significance of change management

The significance or relevance of change management is brought into perspective such factors as described by Thompson (2019), they include: the limitation of time or time constraint, setting a specialty or aiming at a specific target and the inherent fickleness of change.

Like the popular Chinese proverb says “Time waits for no one” (This means that irrespective of any effort put forth by man or otherwise, the concept of time will move resolutely without interference) time won’t remain constant as you design your change management strategy. This provides an apt description for the role of time in change management because an issue or a problem that is of significant threat today may become insignificant tomorrow. Since organizations don’t have some unlimited time to design strategies against external threats or opportunities, they are forced to consistently maintain a constant state of alert towards the environment. Likewise, the constraint of time forces the competence and efficiency of change management strategies employed by the organization. This is even more prominent where the change that affects the organization is a threat instead of an opportunity. A prime example is the recent Covid-19 outbreak in the world. Organizations all over the world were forced to execute proper strategies to effectively operate healthily in such times. In such times, the speed at which an organization reacts determines how much of a loss it faces (some organizations who reacted poorly were forced to dissolve). This greatly contributes to the significance of change management in the organization.

The nature of change management is such that, organizations set a goals or targets and consider strategies to help them achieve these targets or goals. But this also limits it because as the organization sets it sights on one thing, it means there exists opportunity costs in terms of other things. The existence of change management allows the organization to set strategies to counter or even just accommodate for perceived changes or alterations in attaining their objective. Also, the very concept of change management necessitates that change strategies measures be revised and reviewed consistently to ensure that it always remains relevant to adapting the organization to the changes in the environment. Arguably, an apt description for the adaptability of change management strategies is in John Heywood’s saying that “A rolling stone gathers no moss”.

Heraclitus, the famous Greek philosopher of around 500 BC, once said that “The only constant is change”. He implied that the only thing an organization can expect always is that, change will definitely come. Likewise, another known constant of change is that, no one knows the kind of change that is to come, therein lies the fickleness of change. This means organizations cannot, for even a moment, neglect the matters of change. This because is because no one knows when exactly change will come, where exactly it will come to or even how it will affect any organization, what really is known is that, change will come (Morrison, 2010). There exist arguably effective methods to actually predict change but with what level of certainty? The fickleness of change is Like Vision said “I know not when he will come or how he will come, all I know is that he is coming”?(Avengers:Infinity War, 2018).

Advantages of Change management

Change management, when practised well, allows an organization to gain competitive advantage over its peers. This eventually allows the organization the ability to wrest or exert a greater amount of control on the limited resources of the industry of sector. It serves as a means for organizations to continue to remain superior in trying times of crisis?(Habas, 2019). Perhaps, more primally, it ensures the organization is adequately prepared to survive an eminent uncertain or crisis.

It sets the mood for further changes and adaptation for the organization down the line. Operating on the principle that once surprised, twice shocked but thrice familiar (that is, the more you survive something, you adapt to it better until you became able to withstand it). Planning for a future of uncertainty ensures that the organization always maintains knowledge of the exact number of resources it has available. Lastly, successfully change management strategies helps to boost the moral of the organization such that they become more susceptible to organizational policies and changes.

Disadvantages of Change Management

So far perhaps the biggest limitation of change management is the future (Habas, 2019). This because the very concept presupposes that the organization is able to at least predict the happenings of the future (to an extent at least) which although not entirely untrue, is not really true. This limitation originates from the fact that in so far as the world has existed, no individual or organization has been able to predict the future with enough clarity or consistency to be considered even remotely believable. This greatly limits the extent to which such analysis, measures and forecast can be relied on in predicting expected changes in the future. this is not to mean that change management is useless because it is unbelievable effective (tried and tested by countless organizations) but that it contains an inherent detail of risk.

The limitations of change management are likely not even limited to that which we are only able to imagine, but to the extent that things we don’t even dream of may happen (?(Habas, 2019). This coupled with the limited resources available ensures that the organization is not even to address all its identifiable uncertainties and may only choose to consider probable risk which may not even happen, thus wasting the limited resources even further. Yet despite all this, prudence demands that organizations prepare well in anticipation of the ever-constant change. For this very reason most organizations employ the use of one or more tools in assessing and effecting change management strategies.

Tools employed in change management

This section is to discuss three tools employed in the change management namely: the force field analysis; Kubler-Ross Change curve; ADKAR.

Force Field Analysis

Lewin (1948) propounded this theory based on the scientific theory of driving and restraining forces. Driving forces refers to the internal and external factors that influence the decisions of the organization whiles restraining forces are those forces that counteract change or the influences that move the organization towards change. Lewin believed that an individual before change is in balance, that is an equilibrium between driving and restraining forces, and will only move when one of the two forces exert more influence on him. For example, consider a straight lever with a pivot, effort and load. When the load overwhelms the effort put into it, the the lever will tilt towards the load but when the effort overwhelms the load, the lever will then tilt towards the effort, otherwise if both effort and load remain equal, then the lever remains in balance. Effort here represents external factors that contribute to change and load represents factors that contribute to the organization remaining in a fixed position or static. This means as the driving force increases, the organization is forced to accommodate for the changes but when external inluences and factors reduce, the organization may instead cement its traditional practices. Figure 1 shows an illustration of the forcefield model.

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Kubler-Ross Change Curve

The Kubler-Ross change curve was first propounded as stages on grief but was later adapted to become a change management tool. This is likely because change also embodies that aspect of loss and grief resulting from catastrophe or other natural occurrences. Although the stage was likely developed by studying humans in their natural process and state, it adapts well even to the organizational setting. In her book “On death and Dying” she identifies the five stages to be:

1.????? Denial or Shock: Denial is the state of rejection towards the tragedy or loss that has happened. For organizations it refers to the initial state of numbness and disbelief at the utter unreality of certain changes that manages to catch us of guard. Likewise, even for those we are able to predict we deny them even more strongly when it happens despite our preparedness (Connelly, 2018).

2.????? Anger: this is the stage that the realization sets in that change is real and here. This stage is characterised by self-loathing and disparate blame, especially on competitors. Most often the anger comes from the powerlessness to change what has already come. Basically, blame is apportioned to whoever or whatever is deemed appropriate by the organization or individual.

3.????? Bargaining or Negotiating: this is the stage where individuals or the organization attempts to put of the change or recalibrate in any way. This stage is marked by severe desperation to set things back to the way it was previously.

4.????? Depression: this is the stage of helplessness where the individual or organization simply gives up in the face of constantly changing circumstances with little or no control. This is especially more pronounced after bargaining does not work. The effect of depression is emotional as well as physical.

5.????? Acceptance: People move towards this stage after they have come to terms with their circumstances. This stage is connotated by acceptance of the present situation as untenable and then moving from there either working with it or finding means to work around it. Afterall, the first towards actually changing is acceptance (Takagi, 2010).

Figure 2.0 is an outline of the Kubler-Ross Model.

ADKAR

The ADKAR change management tool was developed by Jeff Hiat after researching around 900 companies to effectively streamline the process of organizational change. Hiat identifies the elements; Awareness (the initial realization of the need for change); desire (the drive and commitment towards instituting change); Knowledge (analysis and derivative understanding of the change and strategies to effectively supplant it); Ability (an individual or organizations capacity to support or effect change); Reinforcement (maintaining strategies to cement the change you have implemented) (Connelly, 2018). This tool emphasizes the roles of individuals in the machine that is the organization and therefore enhances employee loyalty. Puts significant emphasizes on communication in the change management process. Figure 3 is an illustration of the ADKAR change management tool.

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