Chapter 2: Leading Change: A Process Perspective

1. What are the two types of forces at work in Lewin’s force-field?

driving forces and restraining forces pushing forces and pulling forces positive forces and negative forces strong forces and weak forces

2. When the forces pushing for change rise beyond a certain level, this may be accompanied by:

high emotionality, low aggressiveness and high levels of cooperation high levels of coordination, low aggressiveness and low emotionality high aggressiveness, high emotionality and low levels of constructive behaviour

3. According to Lewin’s three-step process, unfreezing involves _________ the balance of driving and restraining forces.

maintaining destabilizing focusing on downplaying

4. Burnes (2004) observed that the strength of Lewin’s contribution to the theory and practice of organizational change is when the three-step model is viewed as part of an integrated theory that includes:

field theory, group dynamics and action research group dynamics, action research and lean high performance management, culture profiling and field theory field theory, group dynamics and appreciative inquiry

5. Who, after reviewing descriptions of change in persons, groups, organizations and communities, felt that the moving phase divided naturally into three substages?

Egan (1996) Lippitt et al (1958) Beckhard and Harris (1987) Kotter (1995)

6. What are the essential elements of Egan’s (1996) model?

The preferred scenario, plans for moving to the preferred scenario, evaluation of the whether the preferred scenario was achieved Plans for moving to the preferred scenario, implementation of these plans, implementing these plans in other parts of the organization The current scenario, the preferred scenario, strategies and plans for moving to the preferred scenario The current scenario, the preferred scenario, strategies for getting support for the preferred scenario

7. Which of the following is a key stage in Hayes’ model of the change process?

Sustaining the change Sharing successful change programmes with other organizations Broadcasting successful changes in the media Being guided by external forces of change

8. Which of the following is an example of an external event that could create the need for change?

Retirement of key members of staff The development of a new product The credit crunch A recruitment freeze

9. Which of the following questions should help leaders reflect on how they manage the first steps in the change process?

How will we make sure we learn from the change? Is there a guiding coalition with sufficient power to get things done? Who will be responsible for communicating the success of our change programme? What exact methods should we use to implement the change?

10. The present state of the organization can often only be understood in terms of the context of its history, its ________________, and the reactive and self-reinforcing sequences that have contributed to the current situation.

size products internal environment external environment

11. Diagnosis is embedded in _________ step of the change process.

the first the last every every other

12. It is important that change managers do not simply view planning from a technical perspective. Careful attention also needs to be given to ______________.

the people issues the theories and models to be used which stage should come first economic issues

13. Change managers need to be alert to the possibility that planned interventions may not be producing the anticipated effect. Which of the following factors could lead to this?

Systems that reward new behaviour Lack of commitment and motivation of those affected by the change Flexible organizational structures Political support from those in a position of power

14. In terms of sustaining change, are tough top-down (push) strategies more likely to:

foster compliance which can then evaporate when pressure to maintain the change is eased win a higher level of commitment that is more likely to be sustained foster compliance and a sustainable high level of commitment None of the above

15. Which of the following are types of ‘people issues’ often given insufficient attention by change leaders?

Spreading change, evaluation, technical skill development Stakeholder demands, motivation of the change leader, evaluation Communication, internal politics and the power of stakeholders to affect outcomes Choosing an implementation strategy, writing up new guidelines, acquiring another organization

16. Single-loop learning:

modifies people’s behaviour so that the change will stick promotes immediate feedback based on people’s experience of the change process is a simplified and more effective version of double-loop learning promotes continuous improvement based on an extrapolation of past trends

17. Double-loop learning:

challenges accepted ways of thinking and behaving provides a new understanding of situations and events leads to the possibility that leaders will avoid inefficient path dependencies All of the above

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