"Lighten Up, Francis!"

“Change management is dead!”

“Change management must change.”

“Need to re-think change management.”

As 2024 came to a close, declarations about the supposed demise of change management proliferated among what seemed a plethora of self-proclaimed experts. They argued that traditional change practices had lost relevance, requiring a wholesale overhaul to keep pace with the need for deep, rapid organizational transformations. Ironically, many of these voices also promoted proprietary solutions, in the form of new frameworks, training programs, or reconfigurations of established methods, as the only reliable and definitive way forward.

However, Errida and Lotfi's study (2021) offers a crucial counterpoint: a comprehensive analysis of 37 established, often referenced change models demonstrates that these long-standing practices, when applied with nuance and adapted to context, remain robust tools for managing organizational change successfully. The study underscores that success in change management is not about discarding these trustworthy frameworks but about leveraging them effectively.

Critical factors such as clear vision, leadership, stakeholder engagement, and sustained communication continue to anchor successful initiatives. Errida and Lotfi’s findings, validated through a Moroccan construction company case study, reveal that integrating these elements ensures resilience and adaptability in the face of complexity. Instead of chasing the allure of reinvention, practitioners might do well to deepen their understanding of established principles, recognizing their enduring relevance in addressing both current and emergent challenges.

?This study should be reassuring to anyone in the field who has studied the frameworks, applied them in different contexts, and achieved positive outcomes for clients. The models are categorized as either processual models or descriptive models. Processual models define specific steps for conducting and managing change. Descriptive models depict variables and factors that are purported by their authors to affect organizational performance and organizational change success.

This in-depth analysis resulted in a list of 77 sub-factors, which were then grouped into 12 categories based on similarities and redundancies in meaning. The authors provide an example of such a grouping: the sub-factors “clear definition of change,” “clear and shared change vision,” “change strategy and objectives,” and “alignment with mission and strategy” were combined into the category “Clear and shared vision and strategy of change”.

To determine change management success, the authors of the study used a mixed-methods approach combining a literature review of the 37 organizational change models with an action research case study at a Moroccan construction company. They examined two changes within the firm: 1) the implementation of a project management methodology, which was considered successful, and 2) the implementation of lean construction practices within the firm, which was considered unsuccessful.

?To assess these initiatives, the researchers developed a semi-structured questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale, allowing employees to rate the importance of various success factors. Analysis of the interview and focus group data, combined with these survey results, revealed which factors were most critical to the success or failure of each initiative. By comparing the theoretical frameworks from the literature review with the empirical findings from the case study, the authors were able to identify key factors driving change management success.

?The authors concluded that several factors contribute to the success or failure of change management initiatives, based on their literature review and case study. The following factors were associated with successful change:

In contrast, the following factors were associated with change failure:

What could this all mean? For one, change management as we know it is far from dead. The frameworks available to us have endured. The findings of the study, while limited in scope, provide useful insights for improving activities and decisions needed for the successful implementation of organizational change initiatives. Change agents can use the findings to focus their efforts and resources on the most critical issues, thereby increasing their success rate and improving change management maturity within their organizations.

Does this mean that new approaches and ways of thinking about what we do are not necessary? Absolutely not. Can we continue to improve and advance our craft? Absolutely. Let’s stay entirely lean, irrational, rebellious, and leap for new ideas! But there’s no reason to condemn our rich and meaningful history.

See my LinkedIn Profile

Follow me on LinkedIn

Subscribe to Metamorphosis

?

Sources:

Errida, A. & Lofti, B. (2021), "The Determinants of Organizational Change Management Success: Literature Review and Case Study", International Journal of Engineering and Business Management, 13, 1-15.

Stouten, J., Rousseau, D.M., & DeCremer, D (2018), “Successful Organizational Change: Integrating the Management Practice and Scholarly Literatures”, Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), 752-788.