Question

Managing Change (7th edition)

Answer the following questions:

Q1

Whatever the apparent objective, change is always about individual behavior. Identify and describe Caldwell’s four types of change agents (Ch.1). Compare these with different change situations to show that the skills and abilities of one type of change agent which are suitable in some situations will be unsuitable to other situations.

Answer 1

There are 4 types of Caldwell's change models which are:

1. Leadership models : This is the model where the change agents act like the managers and are kept responsible for identifying and even delivering the transformational change to be implemented. For example, you are the leader of your team and you have to introduce a change. You know you are kept responsible and you are accountable for the new change and other customisation following that change. You have to make sure your team is well governed and making the change well implemented. This is leadership model.

Management models : This is the model where the change agents act as a middle person and take the orders from the people of the authority to communicate the required changes and supporting the same elements to implement the change. For example, your executive in the company wants to have some changes in the code of ethics of the company. The same change is then communicated with you so that you can communicate the same with the organisation to make sure you are supporting the elements of change with your employees.

3. Consultancy models : This is the change model where either the external or the internal agents or consultants are hired to make sure the change is well operated and implemented in the organisation. For example, if the organisation wants to have a safety drill and risk management change to be implemented, the external change agents are hired to make sure the risk and the organisational's safety is well implemented and communicated to the people in the organisation.  

4. Team models : The team models are the change agents where the teams are being developed and composed to make sure the necessary change is implemented and to make sure the project is completed as per the change. For example, if the organisation has taken a project where the firm knows the client is uncertain and demands a lot of changes to be taken in the project, then a special team is developed at the organisation to handle the same changes and make sure the project is working smoothly.