Organisational Behaviour

QUESTION ONE

Using a diagram, explain the force field theory of change by Curt Lewin.

Kurt Lewin wrote that "An issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces - those seeking to promote change (driving forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces)". This is much the same as the experiment we just did and is summarized in the diagram below.

For change to happen the status quo, or equilibrium must be upset – either by adding conditions favorable to the change or by reducing resisting forces.

What Kurt Lewin proposes is that whenever driving forces are stronger than restraining forces, the status quo or equilibrium will change.

There will always be driving forces that make change attractive to people, and restraining forces that work to keep things as they are.

Successful change is achieved by either strengthening the driving forces or weakening the restraining forces.

The force field analysis integrates with Lewin’s three stage theory of change as you work towards unfreezing the existing equilibrium, moving towards the desired change, and then freezing the change at the new level so that a new equilibrium exists that resists further change.

Lewin’s model has 3 steps:

1. Unfreezing – reducing strength of forces which maintain current equilibrium

2. Moving – developing new organizational values, attitudes and behaviours to help move the organization on

3. Refreezing – stabilizing after the changes have been made so that there’s a new equilibrium.

Sometimes criticized because what if the organization is in a fast moving environment and cannot afford to ‘refreeze’? And does refreezing lead to it rapidly becoming staid and stale. Or what if it was already ‘moving’ and lacked stability? Lewin counters this by saying that the refreezing shouldn’t be seen as being permanent, it may be very short term, but it’s important to do it in order to bring some kind of stability to the organization.

QUESTION...