Using Force Field Analysis as a Practical Diagnostic Tool

Using Force Field Analysis as a Practical Diagnostic Tool

Abstract

The purpose of this activity is to undertake , as a diagnostic exercise a holistic Force Field Analysis in to develop understanding of an issue of change in a holistic manner . It looks at various factors such as forces for change and forces against change in a company implementing a new database and includes a diagram . It is the first of the six required activities

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Using Force Field

Analysis as a Practical Diagnostic Tool

What is a Force Field Analysis

A Force Field Analysis is a way to summarize the issues which you face when leading strategic change (Lewin , 1951 . It is a technique to assess forces for and against a project (Mind Tools , 1995 - 2005

Current State of Semi-Stable Equilibrium

Equilibrium is a condition in which all conditions are cancelled by others , resulting in a stable , balanced or unchanging system (The Free Dictionary .com , 2005 . Semi-stable equilibrium , therefore , is when change is occurring

The following holistic force field assesses a decision a company made to upgrade its database system after the current system reached capacity and caused network crashes

Forces for Change Equilibrium Forces against Change

The existing database 5 The upgrading 3 Cost of implementing

has reached its capacity of the

New technological 5 database 3 Cost of training

advances are available 3 Cost of equipment

Keeping in line with

industry competitors 4 3 Staff insecurity

Enhancing the company 's 3 (job loss fears

modern image

Overhead reductions 35 extremely significant , 4 very significant , 3 significant , 2 not very significant , 1 insignificant

Figure 1 showing Forces for Change and Forces against change

This chart allows management a clearer understanding of this issue of change . All management theories can be considered (contemporary theories tend to account for and help interpret the rapidly changing nature of today 's organizational environments (McNamara , 1999

Reducing the impact of the forces against change

Possible ways to reduce the impact of the forces against change include

Ensuring that a reliable service provider is used

Requesting staff training as a service that the IT company provides in the project

Finding out whether existing equipment can be used

Giving one or two staff members specialist training so that they can train others

Allaying fears that jobs will be lost (the work will still require the human touch , or finding alternative employment if any positions are made redundant

Complexities in Change Management

Effective managers use their ingenuity and creativity to reach solutions (Nohria and Berkeley , 1994 . Clampitt (1991 ) says the three parts in change management are management orientation , employee orientation and integrative orientation

There are a variety of complexities in change management to consider including

Emotional intelligence - it is suggested that emotional intelligence facilitates the coping with dramatic change (Huy , 1999 , and research has confirmed time and time again that it is a person 's communication skills that gets them to the top - and keeps them there (Tymson , C People use their emotions to cope , and this must be taken into consideration

Change affects the company and the individual . Senge (1994 ) says individual change is vital , but insufficient - it must be at the level of collective thinking

Strict change management procedures must be in place and adhered to When there is no change management process , results can be quite different than intended (Adams , The Challenge of Managing Change References

Adams , C The Challenges of Managing Change , Retrieved 30 Jun 2005 from the website http /www .adamssixsigma .com /Newsletters /managing_change .htm

Clampitt ,

.G (1991 ) Communicating for Managerial Effectiveness Newbury Park , California , Sage Publications

Huy , N (1999 ) Emotional Capability , Emotional Intelligence and Radical Change , Academy of Management Review

Lewin K (1951 ) Field Theory in Social Science , Harper and Row , New York

McNamara , C (1999 ) Brief Overview of Contemporary Theories

in Management , Retrieved 30 Jun 2005 from the website http /www .managementhelp .org /mgmnt /cntmpory .htm

Mind Tools (1995 - 2005 ) Force Field Analysis - Understanding the Pressures for and Against Change Retrieved 30 Jun 2005 from the website HYPERLINK "http /www .mindtools .com /forcefld .html http /www .mindtools .com /forcefld .html

Noriah , N , Berkely , J .D (1994 ) Whatever happened to the Take Charge Manager ? Harvard Business School Press

Senge ,

.M (1994 , The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook , New York , Double Day

The Free Dictionary .com (2005 ) Retrieved 30 Jun 2005 from the website HYPERLINK "http /www .thefreedictionary .com /equilibrium http /www .thefreedictionary .com /equilibrium

Tymson , C IQ vs EQ Retrieved 30 Jun 2005 from the website HYPERLINK "http /www .positivepath .net /ideasCT3 .asp http /www .positivepath .net /ideasCT3 .asp

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