Understanding Type, Process And Elements Of Change: A Conceptual Review On The Framework Of Change Management

Struggle to deal with change is not a current phenomenon. In 1950s, Kurt Lewin projected a scientific top-down and planned approach to manage change. Some 40 years later, emergent approach of Kotter, Kanter, Stein, Jick etc. came in to challenge earlier take, stating that change cannot be managed by top-down planning. Contemporary theorists, including Orlikowski, Yates, Willmott, Bridgman, Wagner, Newell etc., had nothing to deny those takes, but adding in another management aspect of change, known by some as elements of change. Despite some back-and-forth criticism, we found those theories, including the earlier ones, are still relevant in today’s context. We argue, therefore, that the real issue is not their irrelevancy, but their ambiguity. By comparing and contrasting relevant literatures, this digest aims at seriously understanding each of these theories, making sense of their strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately drawing up their real constructs for practical application. We conclude that, to deal with change, one has to factor in both–the broader managerial aspects of change, which include type, process and elements, and their respective inside indicators, so that all are inclusive and measurable.