From Lewin to OD:Planned Approach to Change

By Renni Rengganis

Outline : An Introduction to Planned Change

Kurt Lewin & Organizational Change

Action Research

Field Theory

Group Dynamics

Lewin’s Three-step Model (1947)

Making Sense of Lewin’s Work

Organizational Development (OD)

Making Sense of OD

An Introduction to Planned Change

Creating prescriptive formulas for successful

implementation od change in Organization. The

change process is intentionally initiated, carefully

planned and implementation in order to achieve

desire result.

Kurt Lewin & Organizational Change

Kurt Zadek Lewin (September 9, 1890 - February 12, 1947) was a German-American psychologist known as one of the modern pioneers of social, organizational, and applied psychology

His best-known contribution in organizational Change was Action Research, Field Theory, Group Dynamics, & Three step Change ProcessThese contributions have had lasting impact and became evident, in fact many modern theories are evolution of his original idea

Action Research

Research that was designed with action in mind

Cyclical of action research:

• Identify a general or initial idea

• Reconnaissance of fact-finding

• Planning

• Take First action step

• Evaluate

• Amend Plan

• Take second action step

Field Theory

Adopt a rather novel approach for understanding human behavior,

Any new behavior is the result of some change in the field

Group Dynamics

Key important : If one’s environment has the potential impact to influence behavior then the group which one’s belong do too, (caused group is part of environment)

Lewin focus his effort on the development of group experiment, many in the notion of group change.

Lewin’s Three-step Model

Unfreezing

• Group member must have felt need of change

Change

• Organization moves to the desired state. (new policies, structure, values etc.

Refreezing

• Changes are reinforced & supported. (made system to support such as compensation system)

Making Sense od Lewin’s work

First : Lewin was Challenger of the notion of mas as machine

Second : Lewin introduced the notion of research as an impectus for changes

Third : Lewin drew attention to the impact of environment on behavior

Fourth : Lewin drew attention to the role of groups on individual and group

behavior

Fifith : Lewin recognized that change could only success and sustain if the

paticipants felt a need for changes

Organizational Development ( OD )

Definition : concern foe vitalizing, energizing, activating and renewing of organization through technical and human resources (Argyris ,1962)

Long-range effort to improve an organization’s problem solving and renewal process. (more effective & collaborative management of organizations culture) French&Bell , 1978

Underlying assumptions of OD ( French&Bell, 1978) :1. Assumption about people as Individual2. Assumption about people in groups and about leadership3. Assumption about people in organizations4. Assumption That related to values in the client Organization5. Value and believes systems of behavioral scientist change agent

Kotter's eight step change model :

• Increase urgency - inspire people to move, make objectives real and relevant.

• Build the guiding team - get the right people in place with the right emotional commitment, and the right mix of skills and levels.

• Get the vision right - get the team to establish a simple vision and strategy, focus on emotional and creative aspects necessary to drive service and efficiency.

• Communicate for buy-in - Involve as many people as possible, communicate the essentials, simply, and to appeal and respond to people's needs. De-clutter communications - make technology work for you rather than against.

• Empower action - Remove obstacles, enable constructive feedback and lots of support from leaders - reward and recognize progress and achievements.

• Create short-term wins - Set aims that are easy to achieve - in bite-size chunks. Manageable numbers of initiatives. Finish current stages before starting new ones.

• Don't let up - Foster and encourage determination and persistence - ongoing change - encourage ongoing progress reporting - highlight achieved and future milestones.

• Make change stick - Reinforce the value of successful change via recruitment, promotion, new change leaders. Weave change into culture.

Making Sense of OD :

Some criticism of OD :• OD is extensive into what for multi-billion dollar industry• OD has become overly prescriptive and that client focus has

been lost• Planned Change is ineffective in today’s turbulent, global

environment.

Thank You

Renni Rengganis - 29011025Magister of science in Management