Managing Organizational Change: Models, Skills & Strategy
This paper examines the concept of organizational change—what it is, why it matters, and how it can be effectively implemented and managed. Drawing on real-world examples from Best Buy and Hewlett-Packard, the paper illustrates how companies respond to competitive pressures through strategic transformation. It surveys major change management frameworks, including Lewin's freeze/unfreeze model and Kotter's 8-step model, and discusses supporting tools such as contingency planning and the processual approach. The paper concludes by identifying transformational leadership as the essential skill for communicating and sustaining change, emphasizing the role of social and emotional intelligence in guiding employees through organizational transitions.
- Introduction to Organizational Change: Defines change and its organizational importance
- Images of Managing Change: Real-World Examples: Best Buy and HP as change case studies
- Diagnosing the Need for Change: Internal audits and justification for change
- Change Management Models and Implementation: Lewin and Kotter frameworks explained
- Contingency Planning and the Processual Approach: Risk mitigation and fluid change theory
- Leadership Skills for Communicating Change: Transformational leadership drives successful change
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What makes this paper effective
- Grounds abstract change management theory in concrete, recognizable corporate examples (Best Buy, HP), making the argument accessible and credible.
- Moves logically from definition → diagnosis → implementation → leadership, creating a clear pedagogical arc that builds understanding step by step.
- Integrates multiple theoretical frameworks (Lewin, Kotter, transformational leadership) without letting any single model dominate, demonstrating breadth of knowledge.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper effectively uses the compare-and-contrast technique when presenting the Lewin and Kotter models, noting that Kotter's 8-step approach is essentially a more detailed elaboration of Lewin's three-phase concept. This positions the student as analytically synthesizing sources rather than merely describing them in isolation.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a definition of change and its organizational importance, then transitions to real-world case studies before moving into diagnostic processes and change management frameworks. A dedicated section on the Kotter model is followed by briefer treatments of contingency planning and the processual approach. The paper closes with an argument for transformational leadership as the capstone skill. This funnel structure—from broad concept to specific tools to human execution—is well-suited for a business management essay.
Introduction to Organizational Change
Change is an action an organization engages in to introduce a new concept, method, culture, or initiative. It aims at altering the manner in which the organization operates so that it can be more effective, efficient, and productive overall. However, because most people naturally react negatively to change—there is something comfortable about enjoying the status quo—the most challenging aspect of change, according to Walker (2018), is simply managing the irrational fears of workers. Managing this fear is "what change management is about" (Walker, 2018, p. 30).
Change is important in organizations because no industry or field is ever static or stagnant. New approaches are always being developed. New technology, for instance, can make old processes outdated or irrelevant. New research into how workplace culture can be tweaked to boost morale and increase worker motivation is constantly being conducted, and new ideas about how to address old issues are constantly being needed. Whenever an organization finds that it is falling behind on productivity goals, or is simply suffering from some form of organizational ailment, change is likely going to be the solution implemented. Change can wake up a company, get it back on track in terms of performance, and enhance the workplace environment so as to keep all stakeholders invested in the vision and mission of the organization.
References
Appelbaum, S. H., Habashy, S., Malo, J. L., & Shafiq, H. (2012). Back to the future: Revisiting Kotter's 1996 change model. Journal of Management Development, 31(8), 764–782.
Hardy, Q. (2014). Meg Whitman finds a vision for HP. The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/07/technology/meg-whitman-finds-a-vision-for-hp.html
Shapiro, R. (2016). Best Buy's competitive strategy to beat Amazon: Educate consumers. Retrieved from https://www.business2community.com/trends-news/best-buys-competitive-strategy-beat-amazon-educate-consumers-01600643
Walker, G. (2018). Change management: Organizational change. Training and Development, June, 30–31.
Warrick, D. D. (2011). The urgent need for skilled transformational leaders: Integrating transformational leadership and organization development. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 8(5), 11–26.
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