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Change management contributions to organisational performance

Co-authors Professor Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn and Dr Malik Salameh draw upon their practical consultancy experience to provide helpful advice for those embarking on a change management programme. This article covers seven main themes about change and change management, offering valuable information and practical guidance on improving organisational performance.

by Professor Simon Burtonshaw-Gunn and Dr Malik Salameh

1. Understanding change management

It is often stated that many organisations in the private sector are destined to either perish through business failure from being left behind by the competition, or accept that change is a natural part of business life to keep in line with customer requirements, the need for improvements or fashion demands. While this is less likely in the public sector, the need for continual improvement and change is still paramount to achieve efficient organisational performance. Accepting that “nothing remains still in the world of business”, the rate of change which companies face has continued at an increasing pace over the last fifty years through advances in technology since the 1960s and through the globalisation of supply chains in more recent years. As such, change has now become a regular feature of business life as part of the desire for continual increased business performance and the ever important need to demonstrate increased shareholder value.

However, successful management of resistance to change is a critical factor to achieve any degree of long-term and lasting success. It has to be said that change management is different to change. While change is the action arising from recognition and management of internal and external factors, change management is a structured approach to designing and implementing change in individuals, teams, organisations and societies that enables a transition to a desired future state.

There are very few business environments where change management is a not part of an organisation’s long-term success. As such the management of change should be regarded as a basic skill in which managers need to be competent. It is recognised that undertaking a change management programme is neither easy, nor should be thought of as a “quick-fix”. Significant change occurs when a new organisation or departmental structure is introduced; when people are replaced, promoted or moved to other roles, or new people join; when new technology is introduced; and when existing tasks need to be undertaken in a different way, or new tasks are introduced.

As this naturally involves people, the need to justify, communicate and provide staff with an understanding of change management will minimise resistance to proposed change. Indeed the advice penned by the 16th century Italian courtier, Nichollo Machiavelli, remains as valid today as when first published:

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”
From: The Prince, first published in 1532

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