2.1 Planned vs. Emergent Change
2 min read•august 9, 2024
Change comes in different flavors: planned and emergent. is like following a recipe, with clear steps and goals. is more like improvising a meal based on what's in the fridge.
Both types have their place in organizations. Planned change helps tackle big issues head-on, while emergent change lets companies roll with the punches. Understanding when to use each approach is key to successful organizational change.
Types of Change
Planned and Emergent Change
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Top images from around the web for Planned and Emergent Change
A new framework for assessing systemic change | Marcus Jenal View original
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Planning and Executing Change Effectively – Principles of Management View original
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Change is changing | We talk about change management. Change… | Flickr View original
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A new framework for assessing systemic change | Marcus Jenal View original
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Planning and Executing Change Effectively – Principles of Management View original
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- Planned change involves deliberate, structured efforts to improve organizational performance
- Planned change follows a systematic process with defined goals and timelines
- Emergent change occurs spontaneously in response to unforeseen circumstances or opportunities
- Emergent change develops gradually without a predetermined plan
- evolves naturally within an organization over time
- Organic change often results from ongoing interactions and adaptations among employees
Comparison of Change Types
- Planned change typically initiated by management to address specific issues
- Emergent change can arise from any level of the organization
- Planned change relies on and strategic decision-making
- Emergent change leverages and
- Organic change blends elements of both planned and emergent approaches
- Organic change fosters and innovation
Change Approaches
Top-down and Bottom-up Approaches
- initiates change from upper management levels
- Top-down change often involves company-wide initiatives or restructuring
- encourages change suggestions from lower-level employees
- Bottom-up change taps into front-line workers' expertise and insights
- Top-down approach can lead to faster implementation but may face resistance
- Bottom-up approach can increase but may lack strategic alignment
Change Management Models and Strategic Planning
- provide frameworks for implementing organizational change
- Popular models include Kotter's 8-Step Process and (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement)
- Change models guide leaders through stages of planning, execution, and sustainment
- aligns change initiatives with long-term organizational goals
- Strategic planning involves environmental scanning, goal-setting, and resource allocation
- Effective change management integrates both models and strategic planning approaches
Key Characteristics
Flexibility in Change Management
- Flexibility allows organizations to adapt change strategies as needed
- Flexible change approaches accommodate unexpected obstacles or opportunities
- Organizations build flexibility by maintaining open communication channels
- involves adjusting timelines and resource allocation
- Flexible leaders remain open to feedback and alternative solutions
- Cultivating a flexible organizational culture supports successful change implementation
Adaptability and Organizational Resilience
- enables organizations to thrive in dynamic environments
- Adaptable organizations quickly respond to market shifts and technological advancements
- Building adaptability involves continuous learning and skill development
- Adaptable teams embrace experimentation and view failures as learning opportunities
- Organizations enhance adaptability by fostering diverse perspectives and cross-functional collaboration
- Adaptability contributes to long-term and sustainability
Key Terms to Review (17)
Adaptability: Adaptability refers to the ability of an individual or organization to adjust effectively to changes in the environment or circumstances. This skill is crucial for thriving in dynamic settings, enabling organizations to respond to market shifts, technological advancements, and evolving customer needs, ultimately influencing their resilience and long-term success.
ADKAR: ADKAR is a change management model created by Prosci that focuses on guiding individuals through change. The acronym stands for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement, representing the key steps necessary for successful change at an individual level. This model emphasizes the importance of addressing human factors during the change process, making it relevant to both planned and emergent changes.
Bottom-up approach: The bottom-up approach is a strategy for implementing change that involves engaging employees and stakeholders at all levels of an organization, encouraging their participation in the decision-making process. This method contrasts with top-down approaches, as it empowers individuals to contribute ideas and solutions based on their firsthand experiences and insights, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to the change efforts.
Change Management Models: Change management models are structured frameworks that guide organizations in managing and implementing change effectively. These models provide a systematic approach to understanding the complexities of change processes, helping organizations navigate planned and emergent changes while addressing the human aspects of change.
Continuous Improvement: Continuous improvement is an ongoing effort to enhance products, services, or processes through incremental and breakthrough improvements. This concept emphasizes the importance of consistently evaluating and refining methods to adapt to changing environments, thus supporting organizations in their quest for excellence.
Emergent Change: Emergent change refers to the unplanned and often spontaneous adjustments that occur within an organization in response to internal and external stimuli. This type of change often arises organically from the day-to-day interactions and decisions of employees rather than being dictated by upper management. Emergent change emphasizes adaptability and responsiveness, showcasing how organizations can evolve without a formalized plan in place.
Employee Buy-In: Employee buy-in refers to the commitment and support employees show towards organizational changes and initiatives. It is crucial for ensuring that changes are implemented effectively, as engaged employees are more likely to embrace new processes and goals. This concept relates closely to the alignment of employee values with organizational objectives, helping to create a collaborative environment where change can thrive.
Flexibility in change management: Flexibility in change management refers to the ability of an organization to adapt its strategies and processes in response to internal and external changes while maintaining effectiveness. This adaptability is crucial when navigating between planned changes, which are deliberate and structured, and emergent changes, which are spontaneous and often unanticipated. Flexibility ensures that organizations can pivot quickly, embrace new opportunities, and effectively address challenges as they arise.
Formal analysis: Formal analysis is a systematic approach used to evaluate and interpret an organization's processes, structures, and outcomes through a structured lens. It focuses on examining the relationships and patterns within organizational change efforts, allowing for a deeper understanding of both planned and emergent changes. This type of analysis aids in identifying the effectiveness and efficiency of change initiatives by evaluating their alignment with strategic goals.
Informal Networks: Informal networks refer to the unofficial and often unstructured connections and relationships that exist among individuals within an organization. These networks are built on personal relationships, shared interests, and social interactions rather than formal authority or organizational charts, making them essential for communication and collaboration during change processes.
Organic Change: Organic change refers to the natural evolution and adaptation of an organization or system that occurs over time, often without a formal plan or external pressure. This type of change emerges from within the organization, influenced by its culture, structure, and the behavior of its members, rather than being imposed from the outside. It highlights the importance of flexibility and responsiveness to internal dynamics and external environments.
Organizational Resilience: Organizational resilience is the ability of an organization to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and adapt to incremental changes and sudden disruptions while maintaining its core functions. This adaptability stems from a proactive culture that encourages learning and agility, allowing organizations to thrive amid uncertainties. It is crucial for navigating both planned changes and emergent situations, ensuring that organizations can withstand shocks and continuously evolve in a dynamic environment.
Planned Change: Planned change refers to a deliberate and systematic approach to transforming an organization's processes, culture, or structure with the intent to improve its performance and achieve specific goals. This method typically involves careful analysis, setting objectives, and implementing strategies in a structured manner to ensure that the changes are effective and sustainable. It contrasts with more spontaneous forms of change that may arise organically within an organization.
Real-time problem-solving: Real-time problem-solving refers to the immediate and adaptive approach to addressing issues as they arise, often in dynamic environments where conditions and information are constantly changing. This process emphasizes collaboration, quick thinking, and leveraging technology to find solutions effectively while minimizing disruption. It plays a crucial role in both planned and emergent change scenarios, as organizations must react swiftly to new challenges without sacrificing quality or efficiency.
Resistance to Change: Resistance to change is the act of opposing or struggling with modifications or transformations in an organization or environment. This resistance can stem from various factors, such as fear of the unknown, loss of control, or perceived negative impacts on roles and responsibilities, and is a critical element to understand in change initiatives.
Strategic Planning: Strategic planning is a systematic process used by organizations to define their direction and make decisions on allocating resources to pursue this strategy. This process is crucial as it helps organizations identify goals, assess their current position, and determine the necessary steps to achieve desired outcomes, whether responding to external pressures or actively shaping their future. It plays a vital role in distinguishing between reactive and proactive changes, as well as planned versus emergent changes within an organization.
Top-down approach: The top-down approach is a change management strategy where decisions and directives originate from higher levels of an organization and are communicated downward to lower levels for implementation. This method emphasizes centralized control, with senior leaders setting goals and strategies that are expected to be executed by their subordinates. It often contrasts with other approaches that involve more input from lower-level employees.