Lewin's Theory of Change: Applicability of its Principles in a Contemporary Organization
Abstract
Change is one of the shared strand that is experienced in all organizations irrespective of organizational size, age or industry. The ecosphere is fast shifting leading to organizations quick adaption to this change. Those organizations that tend to navigate through change well succeed whereas those organizations that are not able, tend to struggle in their existence. How successfully change can be managed in organizations varies widely dependent on the type of the trade, the type of change, and the individuals who are involved in the change. Using any theory of change is useful since it will offer the leaders a roadmap to follow and the capability to ascertain the probable outcome (Michie & Johnston, 2012). Therefore, these theories are very helpful because change is difficult to implement especially if you are doing it blindly. Lewin's theory of change is one of the pillar theories that help individuals to better understand organizational change (Kritsonis, 2005). It was Kurt Lewin in 1951 who came up with this theory, but it still holds to date. This theory is commonly branded as the Unfreeze-Change-Refreeze that speak of the three phase procedure of change that is described by Lewin (Lee, 2006). Lewin was a physicist in addition to being a social scientist which abled him to explain organizational change by the use of an ice block changing shape analogy.
Keywords: Lewin's Theory of Change & Contemporary Organization.
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