Analysis Using Kurt Lewin’s Change Model/force Field Analysis

Analysis using Kurt Lewin’s Change Model/Force Field Analysis

INTRODUCTION

To remain competitive in a changing global environment, many companies are forced to modify or change their mode of operations. In implementing the changes, managers often face challenges in their efforts to transform that organization. The Force Field Theory introduced by Kurt Lewin, argues that the forces for change are balanced off by the forces resistant to that change, which affects how these changes are implemented by managers. According to Kurt Lewin’s Three-Step Change Process, the following steps must be implemented to achieve lasting change: (1) Unfreeze, (2) Change and (3) Refreeze.

UNFREEZE

In embarking on any successful change process, there must be an understanding of why that change must occur; this will form the motivation needed to make the change, according to ‘Lewin's Change Management Model’. The organization must re-examine its assumptions about its operations and the relations to all its stakeholders and clients. This is where the unfreezing stage begins.

In this stage, preparing the organization to accept change is vital and involves breaking down the existing status quo and challenging the beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviours that currently define the organization. Helping the organization to grasp the compelling message as to why the existing way of operating must changeis critical. When management forces the re-examination of the organizations core, a controlled crisis is created which in turn builds a strong motivation to seek out a new equilibrium. The motivation is needed to secure the buy-in and participation of the members of the organization to effect lasting changes(Mind Tools, 2011).

The phased liberalization of the telecommunications industry landscape, with the signing of the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Basic Telecommunication Services and the promulgation of the Telecommunications Act, brought about fierce competition for Cable & Wireless Jamaica (C&W)now Lime Jamaica Limited. In the first three years of liberalization of the industry, the mobile segment was the key driver of telecommunications investment in Jamaica. The mobile operators entering the industry have emerged as the main competitors of C&W’s mobile network and also provide inter-modal competition for their fixed network. Overtime this has resulted in C&W playing second fiddle to Digicel in the regional mobile market. This brought to the fore the need for the company to improve the technology offered to its clients and to increase its coverage in the country in order to remain competitive in the industry and continue to attract new customers.This, coupled with the losses recorded over the last couple of years, is a clear indication that there is need for a change in the way the company operates.

The break in the monopoly hold on the telecommunications industry had left the image of C&Win tatters. Therefore a need for a new branding initiative to change its identity, reframe and redefine itself was recognized by the management of the company (Hall, 2008). In her article “Within Lime Jamaica, a new direction spending smarter for better returns”, Lavern Clarke, Business Editor for the Gleaner, referred to the need to re-brand as “symptomatic of the arrogance, lack of responsiveness to customer needs and poor service - all holdovers from its monopolistic era”.

In addition,C&W recognized that its service levels needed to be improved. The company stated that it cut 12 points of "call abandonment rates" and improved turnaround on service installations by 70 per cent under the refinement program for customer care(Hall, 2008). This is an area in which the company's image remained tattered, and which management was intent on repairing amidst intense competition.

By re-examining its core, the management of C&W has developed a compelling message showing why there is a need for change in various areas of its operations and has therefore accomplished the first step of, ‘Unfreezing’ according to Kurt Lewin’s Three-Step Change Process.

TRANSITION/MAKING THE CHANGE

The second stage of Kurt Lewin’s 3-Step change process is the implementation of the actual changes required to take an Organization from its old state to the desired future state. With all change processes, there will be supporters for the change and resisters against the change. According to Lewin’s Force-Field Theory of Change, for a change to be successful actions should be taken to weaken the obstacles or reduce the resistance to change and/or strengthen positive forces for change.

A significant aspect of the transformation was the re-branding to LIME (Land Internet Mobile and Internet) Jamaica in 2008. The new look had a modern Caribbean flair with black backgrounds, splashes of bright colour and bold imagery(TechJamaica, 2008) in comparison to C&W blue and white. New products and services were also introduced, for example, the 3G technology. There was also thestructuring of processes resulting in staff reduction, and most importantly, a renewed focus on customer service (outsourcing of call centre function). More recently, in 2012 to 2013, the change and re-engineering continued with focus on drastic reduction of call rates (price war) and also continued efforts to reduce operational cost while increasing efficiency via outsourcing of network maintenance to Ericsson, resulting in additional 300 staff redundancies.

Clarke reported that 99 jobs were cut in 2008 resulting in a reduction in staff cost of $150 million. With regards to the new customer centred approach, Clarke stated that LIME “added 1,649 top-up locations for mobile phone credit and "refreshed" 30 dealerships and began rebranding of its own retail operation as 'Lifestyle' stores.” The focus on improvement of customer service, involving outsourcing to ACS E-Services, was meant to repair the area in which the company’s image is most tattered, according to Phil Green, LIME 2008 Country Manager. This resulted in reduced "call abandonment rates" while improving turnaround on service installations by 70