Strategic and Change Management

Introduction1

Discussion1

Part A1

Part B9

Conclusion13

References15

Introduction

This paper has been divided into two parts. The first part has discussed the Force Field Analysis by Lewin. In the first part, Force Field Analysis has been applied to change management at EC Harris. The section has discussed different factors which encourage or discourage change at the company. The second section has analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of EC Harris through the use of Pettigrew and Whipp (1991).

Discussion

Part A

This section has discussed change management at EC Harris. The section has discussed the drivers and obstacles to change at the organization.

Five Force Field Analysis model was developed by Kurt Lewin in the year 1951. The model was developed to facilitate decision-making in different areas including planning change, implementing change, and managing change. Five Force Field Analysis model is a powerful method used to gain a comprehensive understanding of different forces which are influencing an organization. Force Field Analysis was developed by Kurt Lewin. Kurt Lewin was an expert in experimental learning, group dynamics, and action research. Kurt Lewin has made several contributions to the field of social science (Kruglanski et al, 2012, pp. 20).

Force field analysis is a valuable change-management tool. This management technique was developed by Kurt Lewin, an expert in experiential learning and group dynamism. Kurt Lewin developed the model in order to understand forces which impact organizational change. These forces can be classified into driving forces and restraining forces. Driving forces are those which can push or promote change. Driving forces allow an organization to bring changes. Some of the examples of such forces include customer demands, environmental pressures, laws and regulations, and others. On the other side, restraining forces are those which inhibit changes. These forces include the fear of failure, lack of training, lack of incentives, and others. When then forces are equal in an organization, no movement is made towards or away a change initiative (Liu, Zhang, & Su, 2012, pp. 65).

Force Field Analysis can be understood in the form of a tool used for analyzing factors affecting a complex problem. The tool frames a problem in terms of different factors or pressures which support the status quo as well as those pressures that support change. The pressures that support the status quo include restraining forces while forces that support change are known as driving forces. These factors include people, resources, regulations, values, needs, attitudes, desires, and others. Force Field Analysis is used for managing change. The analysis is used to identify different factors which must be addressed and monitored in order to achieve success.

The analysis consists of different steps including defining the problem, defining the change objective, identifying driving forces, identifying restraining forces, and developing a comprehensive change strategy. The first step is the definition of problem. This step involves identifying and defining the actual problem and its nature. The second step is to define the change objective. This step involves explaining the desired situation. The third step is the identification of driving ...