Question 9
AC 3.1 Analyse the effective management and leadership of
change in organisations from a people management perspective.
Analyse the effective management and leadership of change in organisations with reference to TWO change management models. Illustrate your answer with examples of how and when the models might help contemporary organisations to manage and lead change effectively and when the models are less relevant.
Pointers for students :
Drawing on academic research, discuss the definition and issues surrounding the concept of organisational change. What is meant by ‘effective’ management and leadership of change’? How has this effectiveness been defined and measured in the research literature?
Models provide a step-by-step approach to managing change, they do not offer comprehensive explanations or theories about the underlying mechanisms or drivers of organisational change. One might briefly contrast them with theories of change which provide broader conceptual frameworks and explanatory models that seek to understand the dynamics, processes, and factors that influence organisational change.
Ensure TWO change models are chosen to critically analyse, from theorists such as Lewin (Change Management Model), Kotter (8-Step Change Model), Rogers (Change theory), KublerRoss (Change Curve), ensuring that you examine potential strengths as well as consider the limitations, e.g., over-simplicity, contextual limitations where models do not adequately account for
the specific industry, organisational or cultural context in which the change is taking place.
Again, relate the two models to your own organisational context in discussing strengths and limitations. Note that over-reliance on change models without considering the unique context of an organisation’s culture and industry will limit their effectiveness, so be specific about how and when the models might be useful (or have been useful if applying to a change process that you have experienced) in line with your organisation or one known to you.
Your argument may assess the credibility of these models in the modern day, especially with the speed of change that is now experienced. Organisations promote agility in order to meet the more ‘emergent’ and less planned change that is more in line with the VUCA climate experienced in business today.
Covid-19 has progressed change in a number of ways, from technology to
influencing work patterns to remote/hybrid working.
