An Holistic Model for Change Management

Abstract

There is a growing consensus that any healthy organisation does not stand still but develops and grows. This means change in terms of organisational development (Luthians, 1989) or as problem solving (Wilson, 1984). Change to any established system or way-of-life is perceived as a traumatic experience. The causes of change are not the subject of this paper but we are concerned here with changes that affect daily life within a system. The raison d’être of proper management of the changes to any situation is to preserve sustainability within the overall organisation. As Senn (1990) puts it, today’s challenge is to achieve success in a changing world. The following text adopts a systemic view of change and proposes an holistic approach to change management. The background research recognises that any proposal for active change within an established system must provide due cognizance of the human resource as the most influential factor which will both help and hinder the proposed change. Mullins (1996) sees change as an inescapable part of both social and organisational life. Emergent properties of attempts at change are discussed and an holistic model for change management is put forward. This new model is systematic in its thoroughness but systemic in its considerations of the work environment into which any change is proposed. It is also systemic in its approach to an hierarchical system of management of proposed changes. Types and media of communications play an important role in the change management model and emphasis is placed on proper interfaces between stakeholders.