Analysis of Change Management Theory

Running head: ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
Analysis of Change Management Theory
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1ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
Organizational learning is a systematic and continuous process that happens through
various strategies like knowledge management (KM) and process consultation. Organizational
learning is quite important and plays the utmost role in encouraging innovation in organizational
practices (Jimenéz-Jimenéz, Martínez-Costa and Sanz-Valle 2014). Nevertheless, competition is
always there in between companies representing the same industry. In such situation, it is
important that organizational learning process is continuous in nature and takes the help of
essential process that includes like knowledge management (KM) and process consultation
(Chiva and Habib 2015). Knowledge management and process consultation are often believed to
be as representing the same surface; however, they evidently differ to each other in terms of their
conceptual and theoretical background. Knowledge management is more of an internal
organizational process which is under the control of the management. On the other side, process
consultation is an external process where the client’s management team does not have such
controls as in case of the knowledge management (KM) (Giniuniene and Jurksiene 2015). This
assignment is purposefully aimed at understanding the relationship between KM and process
consultation in regards to the extent of their similarities and differences. Both of the processes
have the similar meanings; however, both of which represent a very different process. KM is an
internal organizational process whereas process consultation is about taking the help of an
external consultant.
Understanding knowledge management (KM) and process consultation: Knowledge
management (KM) and process consultation are different to each other in terms of orientation;
however, they have some similarities as well. The fact can also be understood from the types of
KM which are being divided into two segments like tacit and explicit. Tacit is that saved in the
brain. Employees and other members of the organization to learn new things based on their
capability of understanding of the resources to be used for the purpose. The thing that they learn
on a continuous basis they keep this stored in their mind. They also share such knowledge with
their colleagues, so that, knowledge sharing is facilitated. Knowledge sharing does also
contribute to the organizational learning process (Hussein et al. 2014). The tacit form of
knowledge is that documented in files or software. Such documents can be used for educating
others. The training process is one of the examples of a tacit knowledge where trainers based on
the documented materials in the form of excel sheet or others share the knowledge with the
trainees (Hussein et al. 2014).

2ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
Process consultation is that received from external consultants. In times of anxiety and
circumstances when firms do not have the solutions nor they have such resources to respond to
the urgency, they approach consultants. The discomfort experienced due to the circumstances is
known as cognitive dissonance (Jimenéz-Jimenéz, Martínez-Costa and Sanz-Valle 2014).
Jimenéz-Jimenéz, Martínez-Costa and Sanz-Valle (2014) explained that when an
organizational approach is motivated to change, cognitive dissonance occurs at the
organizational or the management level. Kong (2015) explained it that in troublesome cases, the
anxiety level of the organization must be high to the learning anxiety; otherwise, there is no point
of going for a change. There should indeed be a resistance to change.
Explaining process consultation: Process consultation can be frustrating and worrying
also at times. Consultants are hired for the organizational development (OD) process. However,
clients usually do not have any direct control over consultants. The consultants interact with
senior managers or the bosses of clients. However, probably they do not seem to be as carrying
any fair relationship with each other. Clients may not necessarily obey the demands or any
commandments of the consultants. On the other hand, consultants are not also required to
consider the demands of the client. Hence, they both exist in a state of negotiation (Lord, Dinh
and Hoffman 2015). At times there may be a need to go for pushing the consultants; however,
clients may not. The demands may also be negotiated from the OD consultants (Lord, Dinh and
Hoffman 2015). The fundamental role of consultation is often viewed as a specialist that
provides consultation service to their clients to help them move for a change. They are called
upon at times when clients face the challenge and have no resources within the organization to
respond to the urgency. The OD consultants in such situations are supposed as a helping resource
that with their resources and strategy making skills can actually help their clients. However, the
OD consultants must have a deeper understanding of the organizational learning process to prove
their existence justified. They need to be well versed with various important theories like culture,
change, learning and systems. This is required to make use of the most influential involvement
for the particular client they assist (Real, Roldán and Leal 2014).
Similarities between process consultation and (OL) & (KM): Process consultation is
similar to organizational learning and the knowledge management in some regards.
Organizational learning is based upon a continuous exchange and sharing of different forms of

3ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
knowledge. Organizational learning takes through both tacit and explicit kind of KM. The tacit
gets developed through the personal experience of theoretical and practical resources. The
theoretical resources may include resources like academic theories and concepts. On the other
side, practical resources include observing the senior member while working on a project or
listening carefully to the senior managers while they are delivering a speech. The explicit form of
KM as discussed earlier is developed through documented files in different ways such as through
training (Rikkerink et al. 2016). Process consultation has the very similar meaning & concept to
the organizational learning and the knowledge management. The OD consultants take the help of
the resources which they have gathered from extensive researches on the subject matter. The
knowledge sharing is also the part of OD consultants which is why they are able to sustain their
existence. This is just similar in concept to the tacit form of KM. The OD consultants help their
clients through documented strategies and have a proven track record for assisting the very same
way. The assistance provided to clients in such way is a just similar to the explicit form of KM.
The explicit form of knowledge as explained earlier is transferred to the target audience through
various modes of training (Schilling and Fang 2014).
Differences: The OD consultants and the concept of knowledge management (KM) differ
to each other in regards to their working principles and the procedures. The working procedures
of OD consultants involve but are not limited to like interacting with the clients with their
proposals for work. They have documented strategies for dissimilar scenarios. The proposal is
required, so that, the client has clues on what is happening. The way they interact with their
client is different to how explicit form of knowledge is conveyed at the organizational level.
They do not do it through training instead; they provide necessary tips and strategies to the client
(Schneckenberg, Truong and Mazloomi 2015). At the organizational level, no negotiation is
there while it is being delivered through training. However, negotiation always exists in between
the consultants and the client. At some point in time, consultants seem to be negotiating while on
some other point in time, the vice-versa.
Analyzing process consultation: As per the current perspectives, the process consultation
has now more considered as a companion to its client. The client and consultation are now
required to work together while supporting the each other's needs. In this course of action, OD
consultants must have the capability to work with individuals, groups and the organizational