This paper examines Kurt Lewin's three-phase model of organizational change—unfreezing, change, and refreezing—and applies it to the real-world failure of the Concord Bookshop, a 64-year-old New England retailer. The paper explains each phase of Lewin's framework and then analyzes how the bookshop's owners failed to execute all three stages: they did not communicate the vision for change, excluded employees and managers from the decision-making process, and consequently could not institutionalize new practices. The case illustrates how skipping or mishandling any phase of the change process can result in employee dissatisfaction, resignations, and organizational failure.
The paper demonstrates theory-to-practice application: a well-established management model is introduced, defined in its own terms, and then systematically used to evaluate a real organizational failure. This technique is common in business and management courses and shows the student can use theory as an analytical tool, not just a topic to describe.
The paper opens with a brief framing of why organizational change matters, then defines each of Lewin's three phases sequentially. It transitions into the Concord Bookshop case, dedicating separate paragraphs to diagnosing the bookshop's failures at the unfreezing, change, and refreezing stages respectively. A short conclusion ties the case back to the model. This clear define-then-apply structure is well-suited to short analytical essays in undergraduate management courses.
Change is a necessary process that all organizations must undergo in order to survive and compete in the marketplace. However, planning, implementing, and managing change remains one of the greatest challenges even for the most successful organizations. This paper explains the three phases of Kurt Lewin's organizational change model and examines why the Concord Bookshop failed to bring about a successful transformation.
Kurt Lewin identified the following three phases of organizational change (Marquis and Huston, 2009):
Unfreezing: This is the first phase of the organizational change process. It involves preparing the organization to accept the necessary change by breaking down the existing status quo so that a new system can be introduced. This step creates the motivation to change, as change cannot occur without motivation.
Change: After unfreezing, the next phase involves bringing about change by developing new beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes aligned with the new direction. This is only possible after the resisting forces have been properly identified and minimized during the unfreezing stage. This phase adjusts the position of equilibrium within the organizational change process.
Refreezing: Once people have begun using the new ways of working, it is time to refreeze — that is, to ensure that these new methods are used consistently and become part of routine business practice. This phase institutionalizes the changes, develops leadership, maximizes alignment of employee behavior, and embeds the new methods permanently into the organization.
The Concord Bookshop, a 64-year-old store in New England, was unable to bring about a successful change because, while it recognized the need for change, it failed to implement that change properly. The bookshop did not correctly follow the organizational change process, failing at all three stages of Lewin's model. As a result, the owners faced significant losses.
The Concord Bookshop case illustrates that recognizing the need for change is not sufficient on its own. All three phases of Lewin's model — unfreezing, change, and refreezing — must be executed carefully and in sequence. The bookshop's owners bypassed critical steps, particularly failing to communicate with and motivate employees, which caused resistance to cascade through every subsequent phase. Organizations that neglect proper change management risk not only the failure of the initiative itself, but also lasting damage to employee morale and organizational performance.
Marquis, B., & Huston, C. (2009). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing. Wolters Kluwer, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
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