Kurt Lewins Change Theory - 1570 Words

Organizations face the continuous prospect of change as they fight to survive and remain competitive in a globalized economy. Changes exist in both the external and internal environments. As organizational environments exert pressure for change, organizations must adjust if they are to survive and prosper. According to Medley and Akan (2008), theories concerning organizational change were dominated by Lewin’s planned change approach (1947), which brings together four complex elements: (1) field theory, which seeks to map the totality of human behaviors taking place; (2) group dynamics, which seeks to understand the behavior of groups; (3) action research, which requires analyzing the situation and choosing the best change for the†¦show more content†¦The first step of this phase is to present to the organization a compelling problem or issue to get them to recognize and accept the need for change. Such compelling issues could be characterized by sharply declining sales, loss of important key market segments and clients, or poor financial performance that is due to actions of their part. This problem or issue will then create the pressure for change of attitude and behavior, and convince people that the change is needed. According to Medley and Akan (2008), managers c an participate in this early stage by reducing barriers to change, creating incentives to change, and introducing appropriate rewards for new behaviors. During a merger of two culturally different companies, Bank of America and U.S. Trust, a change was greatly needed to complete this transaction. During the change process, communication is key, and these two companies needed to communicate in order to be productive. Once managers noticed the issue, they restructured all the divisions needing the change to force a behavior change. They broke up ineffective teams which were composed of only people from each company, and redesign the groups to reflect the merged companies. The culture of U.S. Trust was that of the high end wealth management company which comprised of an exclusive group of clients, theShow MoreRelatedLewins Change Theory1273 Words   |  6 PagesLewin’s Change Theory Author’s name: Institution: Date: Abstract The significance of Lewin’s change theory lay not in the formality of the theory itself but rather on his ability to conceptualize real situations and as a result come up with models that reflect ideal situations. Kurt Lewin cut a niche for himself as one of the pioneers of the applied, organizational and social psychology. Born Kurt Zadek Lewin in September 9 1890, he is acknowledged as the founder of social psychology and among theRead MoreKurt Lewin s Influence On Social Psychology Essay1209 Words   |  5 Pagesothers. Though the psychologist who had the biggest impact on social psychology would be Kurt Lewin. Commonly known as the father of social psychology, Lewin put in countless hours of hard work and research in the study of the individual behavior among social situations. By working with other renowned psychologists, creating theories of his own, and leaving a mark on the world that still thrives today, Kurt Lewin is greatly responsible for the many of the advanceme nts of psychology throughout historyRead MoreLewins Change Theory1288 Words   |  6 PagesLewin’s Change Theory Author’s name: Institution: Date: Abstract The significance of Lewin’s change theory lay not in the formality of the theory itself but rather on his ability to conceptualize real situations and as a result come up with models that reflect ideal situations. Kurt Lewin cut a niche for himself as one of the pioneers of the applied, organizational and social psychology. Born Kurt Zadek Lewin in September 9 1890, he is acknowledged as the founder of social psychology and amongRead MoreApplying Change Theory Of Electronic Medical Records999 Words   |  4 PagesApplying Change Theory to Electronic Medical Records Maryjo Marvin-Dixon Empire State College According to Hussain, Lei, Akram, Haider Ali, 2016 â€Å"It is important for organizations to make changes and update old process in this competitive business environment†. Implementing change in a department of a company, hospital or doctor’s office can be difficult. Lewin’s Change Model is an effective way to help Managers and business owners update old processes and structures. (Hussain, Lei, Akram, HaiderRead MoreModels of Organizational Change1517 Words   |  7 PagesModels of Change Olympia Ross Grand Canyon University Organizational Development and Change LDR-615 Dr. Jerry Griffin August 14, 2013 Organizational Models of Change Organizational change is occurring at an intense rate within modern organizations, as demands to stay current with technology and marketplace trends are ever increasing. Although knowledge exists amongst management and leadership regarding the need for change, the ability to deliver the expected results of proposed changes oftenRead MoreKurt Lewin s Work With Psychology1051 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Lewin was born in Poland on September 9, 1880. Lewin was a German American psychologist predominantly known for his work with psychology field theory, group dynamics and his theory of change. A majority of Lewin’s work was focused on practical psychological issues such as racism, child development, and humanization of the workplace and school. Some describe Lewin as the founder of experimental social psychology. Kurt Lewin was born in Poland on September 9, 1880 into a jewish family. In 1909Read MoreEffectiveness Of Lewin s Model869 Words   |  4 PagesEffectiveness of Lewin’s Model An example of the effectiveness of Lewin’s Unfreezing-Changing-Refreezing Model can be seen in the success of Continental Airlines. In 1994, the CEO of Continental Airlines resigned after the organization continued to lose money at an alarming pace. Greg Brenneman, a consultant, and Gordon Bethune, the new CEO, created a plan to turn the organization around and save over 40,000 jobs while earning $40 million by 1995. (Brenneman, 1998) This plan was presented and acceptedRead MoreA Nurse Residency Program For New Nursing1433 Words   |  6 Pagesconsidered for these positions, but a residency program would address this. Implement planned change To aid with the implementation of the home health care residency program, the change theory from Kurt Lewin will be utilized for this process. The Change Theory of Nursing was developed by Kurt Lewin, who is considered the father of social psychology. He theorized a three-stage model of change known as unfreezing-change-refreeze model that requires prior learning to be rejected and replaced. Lewin s definitionRead MoreChange Management - Theories of Changes1442 Words   |  6 PagesOrganizational change is usually triggered by relevant environment shift, either internal or external, that sensed by companies and leads to intentionally generated response (French, Bell Zawacki, 2006). This paper will discuss several organization development models.. Theories of Change 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 toRead MoreLewin’s Three-Stage Model of Planned Change1134 Words   |  5 Pagesand the need for change within organizations (Graetz Smith, 2010). Organizations respond to these tensions by engaging in processes of strategic renewal through the implementation of â€Å"planned change† (Spector, 2010). Planned change, according to Cummings and Worley (2009), fundamentally concerns the process of changing organizational behaviors. More specifically, new behaviors must replace old ones or be adapted to or integrated with existing behaviors to enable successful change (Palmer, Dunford