Organizational Change Model

According to Spector (2013) Lewin's field theory has three steps: 1) unfreezing; 2) Moving and; 3) refreezing. Unfreezing and refreezing serve as bookends to the process. Unfreezing requires members of the group to be unsatisfied with the status quo (Spector, 2013). In the case of Children's Hospital, the financial crisis and employee moral/satisfaction were at all-time lows which created the dissatisfaction with the status quo (Spector, 2013). Once a new status quo and new patterns of behavior have been implemented refreezing can occur (Spector, 2013). However, in order to get to refreezing, moving needs to occur which encourages members of the group to alter their behavior (Spector, 2013).

Providing clarity about the change can improve the transition process. According to Mclean (2011), leaders

Lewin’s change theory involved applied behavioral science, action research and planned change each of which is necessary to examine during the implementation of change programs (Burnes & Cooke, 2012). Lewin’s field theory involves a number of concepts that can be used as a guide to help understand the forces that comprise group dynamics within their life space or environment. Lewin’s framework also explains the totality and complexity of people’s behavior within a social setting that can be modified to bring about successful change.

Lippitt’s Phases of Change is an extension of Lewin’s Three-Step Theory. The focus on Lippitt’s change theory is on the change agent rather than the change itself.

ABSTRACT The purpose of this article is to summarize several change theories and assumptions about the nature of change. The author shows how successful change can be encouraged and facilitated for long-term success. The article compares the characteristics of Lewin’s Three-Step Change Theory, Lippitt’s Phases of Change Theory, Prochaska and DiClemente’s Change Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior to one another. Leading industry experts will need to continually review and

Lewin and Kotter management models consist of different stages. These stages where designed to help leaders to facilitate change with an organization. Lewin stages consisted of something called unfreeze, developing system to encourage employees to be open to doing things a new way. Next, is change, this entails implementing change to communicating as often as possible, putting to rest any stories that may come up and have employees get involved in this changing process. Third, and last is refreeze, once all changes are I place then it is time to incorporate in the culture of organization and ne able to sustain changes made.

Week 3, the lecture on Managing Change describes organizational changes that occur when a company makes a shift from its current state to some preferred future state. Managing organizational change is the process of planning and implementing change in organizations in such a way as to decrease employee resistance and cost to the organization while concurrently expanding the effectiveness of the change effort. Today's business environment requires companies to undergo changes almost constantly if they are to remain competitive. Students of organizational change identify areas of change in order to analyze them. A manager trying to implement a change, no matter how small, should expect to encounter some resistance from within the organization.

The second step in the change theory is the transition stage. Once people are unfrozen, the problem now shifts to how to keep them going. This is now the actual change process a stage that is characterized by confusion as people try to change from the old to new ways. This stage is further characterized by fear because people tend to be unsure and is the hardest step in the whole process (Schein, 1995). During transition, new behaviors are developed, values and attitudes. It is achieved through development techniques and change in existing organizational structures. People undergoing this stage need to be given ample time to adapt to new ways. Of uttermost importance during this stage is support. Support is offered in terms of coaching and training as well as acceptance that mistakes will be part of the transition process (Smith, 2001).

In addition, Lewin recognized that change is almost always met with resistance. More importantly, he identified the behaviors and environments that stimulate resistance. Thus, careful consideration of behavioral and environmental impacts must occur in the Unfreezing stage of Lewin’s Unfreezing-Changing-Refreezing Model prior to implementing the change. This will prepare the leaders of the organization to meet the resistance with the correct leadership and management style.

In the 3-step model for successful organizational change, Kurt Lewin argues that successful change in organizations follows 3 steps:

The model represents a very simple and practical model for understanding the change process. For Lewin, the process of change entails creating the perception that a change is needed, then moving toward the new, desired level of behavior and finally, solidifying that new behavior as the norm. The model is still widely used and serves as the basis for many modern change models.

In order to survive and prosper in a rapid changing environment of business world, organization is often required to generate fast response to changes (French, Bell & Zawacki, 2005). Change management means to plan, initiate, realize, control, and finally stabilize change processes on both, corporate and personal level. Change may cover such diverse problems as for example strategic direction or personal development programs for staffs. In this

     Kurt Lewin was a great innovater at his time in the field of Psychology. The theories he developed, the methods of reserch he used and the people he influenced all have had a profound impact on Psychology and even more specifically on Social Psychology.

Kurt Lewin developed a model of the change process that has stood the test of time and continues to influence the way organizations manage planned change. Lewin’s change model is a three-step process. The process begins with unfreezing, which is a critical first obstacle in the change process. Unfreezing involves encouraging individuals to shed old behaviors by changing the status quo. The second step in the change process is moving. In the moving stage, new attitudes, values, and behaviors are substituted for old ones. Organizations accomplish moving by initiating new options and explaining the rationale for the change, as well as by providing training to help employees develop the new skills they need. The last step in the change process is Refreezing. In this step, new attitudes, values, and behaviors are established as the new normal. The new ways of operating are concrete and reinforced. Managers should ensure

According to Kurt Lewin’s change model (1947), there are three aspects of managing organizational change: unfreezing, change intervention and refreezing. By observing the change model, all four characters are seen to go through the freezing stage when they found the first cheese station.