Theoretical foundations of organizational change and leadership models

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Theoretical Foundations of Organizational Change One of the most important components of effective organizational operations is change management since organizational change is relatively considered as an inevitable process. In light of the changing nature of the modern business environment, organizational change is regarded as an inevitable process towards enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of organizational operations. Consequently, leaders or managers in today’s business environment are required to develop effective organizational change management skills and practices. This paper examines the theoretical foundations of organizational change through analysis of factors contributing to organic evolution of change, strategic development approaches and models and interventions of change leadership. The other issues discussed in the paper include evaluation of change models, necessary leadership and management skills for continuous organizational change, and how to collect and analyze data using benchmark to determine the timing of change. Factors Contributing to the Organic Evolution of Change One of the theoretical foundations of organizational change is Chaos Theory, which is an organizational model that suggests that organizational change is inevitable. This theory suggests that timing and vector are the only elements that are difficult to predict, but organizational change is bound to happen (Taneja et al., 2013). Based on this theory, organic and inorganic are different concepts in relation to change in the organizational world. Organic refers to expected, natural progressions towards change whereas inorganic refers to unexpected factors contributing to change. In this regard, factors contributing to the organic evolution of change in the organizational world are both internal and external factors. The internal factors that contribute to organic evolution of organizational change include internal crisis like strike, poor financial performance, and changes in employee expectations. Internal factors are not only attributable to the industry the organization operates in, but are also fueled by its internal business environment and organizational strategies and actions. On the contrary, external factors include workforce diversity, technological advances, globalization, ethical behavior, regulatory changes, and changes in political systems. These external factors are attributable to forces outside the organization that affect its industry and the overall business environment. Formulating Strategic Development Approaches & Change Leadership Models Given that organizational change is inevitable in today’s business environment because of internal and external forces that affect operations, organizations are faced with the need to formulate strategic development approaches and identifying change leadership models and interventions. These approaches, models, and interventions are crucial because evolving organizations need to acknowledge the need for constant innovation, coordination of actions, and continuous change and uncertainty management (Öner, Benson & Be?er, 2014). The formulation of strategic development approaches requires five major steps to strategic planning in order to better prepare an organization for change management. These steps include determining where the organization is through internal and external audits, which is followed by identifying priority issues or direction of the organization and defining the expected objectives (Aileron, 2011). These steps are followed by establishing accountability for actions to be undertaken and reviewing the actions vis-à-vis the desired objectives. There are various models and interventions in change leadership that can be utilized in organizational change management. The identification of a suitable model and intervention for change leadership requires conducting internal and external audits of the organization relative to its business objectives. Once the audits are carried out, the desired organizational state should be determined as well as the necessary leadership/management processes to achieve the desired state. Information derived from these processes should be utilized to identify the most suitable model and intervention for change leadership. Analysis of Change Models There are various change models that can be utilized to promote and manage organizational change processes. Some of these change models include Lewin’s Change Model, which includes three steps i.e. unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. This model assumes that change is organic and focuses on lessening resistance to change through promoting driving forces for change while reducing restraining forces. The second change model is Korter’s Eight Steps for leading organizational change, which focuses on leading instead of managing organizational change. This change model suggests that an organization’s leadership should be at the fore front in leading and implementing the change. The third change model is Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement (ADKAR) model, which was developed to focus on principles of change that are effective on an individual level (Calder, 2013). Lewin’s Change Model and Korter’s Eight Steps for Leading Organizational Change are models that best facilitate organizational adaptation while maintaining a high level of follower commitment. These process provide a framework through which the leadership and followers (employees) work together to implement change in an organization. Necessary Leadership and Management Skills While change models can help in leading and managing organizational change, successful implementation of organizational change requires some leadership and management skills that are necessary to establish a model of continuous change that promotes organizational adaptation while ensuring follower commitment. The necessary leadership skills for implementation of a model of continuous change include inter-personal relation skills, charisma, and intellectual stimulation. These leadership skills are part of transformational leadership style, which is essential in implementing a model of continuous change. They help in ensuring the leader provides inspirational motivation to his/her followers when implementing the change. On the other hand, the necessary management skills include strategic management skills, change management skills, and program development skills. These management skills provide a premise for an organizational leader to apply his/her attributes to the practical aspects of what takes place in organizational change processes. Determining the Most Efficacious Timing for Change A critical aspect of successful implementation of organizational change is ensuring that the change is introduced at the proper time. Therefore, the determination of the most efficacious timing for change is vital for successful organizational change. One of the measures that can be utilized to determine the most efficacious timing for change is benchmark. Benchmark can be utilized to determine the proper time for change through collecting and analyzing relevant data or information for the change process. In this case, an organizational can conduct internal benchmarking to collect data through compiling data from its various departments, business units, geographical locations, sustainability measures, and cultural diversity perspectives (Öner, Benson & Be?er, 2014). External benchmarking can also be conducted through comparing industry statistics and national foresight studies in relation to the business. The data from internal and external benchmarking should be compiled systematically and interpreted to determine the proper timing for change based on the organization’s internal and external operational environment. In conclusion, organizational change is an inevitable process in the modern business environment. This process is crucial for organizations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations and offers a great opportunity for organizational success. However, this process is relatively complex because of the existence of various internal and external forces that contribute to organizational change and the need to work with various stakeholders. Moreover, successful implementation of change requires utilizing the most suitable change models and intervention, appropriate leadership and management skills, and introducing the change at the most efficacious time.