MMH707 - Change Management Theory: Analysis of KM and Consultation

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of change management theory, specifically focusing on the relationship between knowledge management (KM) and process consultation. It explores the similarities and differences between these two concepts, highlighting that while both aim to facilitate organizational learning and development, they differ in their approach and implementation. KM is presented as an internal organizational process, while process consultation involves external consultants. The essay discusses the tacit and explicit forms of knowledge management and the role of consultants in organizational development, emphasizing the importance of interpersonal and consulting skills for effective client relationships. It also touches upon the evolving role of consultants and the ethical considerations of technical ineptness. The analysis draws upon various theories and perspectives to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities involved in change management.

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

4ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
dynamics. Consultation is understood as a supportive relationship between clients and the
consultants. This means the consultants must necessarily be able to understand the importance of
collaborative work. According to Kong (2015), process consultation is essentially about building
a relationship by continuous efforts being given to different kinds of intervention with the
clients. There is a need for improvement in the constant interaction, association and
circumstances to make necessary choices. As opined by Jimenéz-Jimenéz, Martínez-Costa and
Sanz-Valle (2014), the process consultation is outdated now. It has taken a different shape. It is
now not just limited to giving consultation to clients but, it has improved significantly. The
consultants now need to use the different models as well to enhance their capability as
consultants. They need to make the changes and must possess the skills as such the innovation
and the entrepreneurship. Creativity is what expected now from consultants, so that; they could
provide solutions that are unique and hard to be realized by clients. Clients need to feel the
importance of consultants, so that, bonding between them could be strong (Jimenéz-Jimenéz,
Martínez-Costa and Sanz-Valle 2014).
The choice of intervention strategy relies on the clients and their needs. They approach
consultants based on their needs. The consultation process is not just a set of techniques it is
more than this. Consultants may need to understand the appropriate intervention strategy in
regards to the situation. If they are not being able to do so, then the stage can be referred to as
technical ineptness. Technical ineptness is an ethical dilemma that becomes evident when
consultants use the intervention strategies which they are not experts in. moreover, consultants in
such cases become clueless on proving the required solution to clients (Real, Roldán and Leal
2014). This is the one point where research works suggest that consultants must have an
understanding of the appropriate intervention strategy and need also have the requisite amount of
researches on the relevant models. This also suggests that consultants need to keep on learning
which is very similar to what organizational learning (OL) and knowledge management (KM)
mean to organizational development (OD) (Real, Roldán and Leal 2014).
Consultants can have the innumerous kinds of expertise; however, they need to make
obvious certain skills to help them effectively engage in the operational development (OD)
consultation process. Those certain skills are technical, consulting and interpersonal skills. The
technical skills are an indication of the expertise that the consultants have. The interpersonal

5ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
skills denote how capable the consultants are in managing their relationship with the clients.
These skills include listening, the capability to communicate and provide assistance. Consulting
means effectively being through with the different phases involved in the consulting
engagement. This includes problem solving, diagnosis, and evaluation. The interpersonal and the
consulting skills are of more importance for consultants as these only improve the consulting
relationship with clients (Chiva and Habib 2015). The importance of interpersonal and
consulting skills can be understood from various facts. One of such facts has identified the roles
of consultants as “friendly co-pilot” (Chiva and Habib 2015). This means consultants need to
play a role of friendly co-pilot which keeps on identifying issues until it reaches to the final
intervention. The relationship that they build up with clients helps consultants understand exactly
what the situation is (Schneckenberg, Truong and Mazloomi 2015). Forming a relationship with
clients is essential as it facilitates the exchange of information between consultants and the
clients. Nevertheless, until and unless there is a clear and evident exchange of information
between consultants and clients, results may not be the way to being desired so (Schneckenberg,
Truong and Mazloomi 2015).
Some may argue that consultants are just the change agent which transfers their skills to
clients. However, their roles vary and develop throughout the consultation process due to the
changing demands of clients. The process consultation model has defined the consultant’s role
one of “assisting the clients to grow to be an adequately proficient diagnostician” (Real, Roldán
and Leal 2014). Once clients are able to comprehend and own the causes of the problem they are
likely to own the solution also. According to systems theory, “the consultant’s role is one that
assists facilitating organizational learning by improving the client’s capability for identifying
solutions that are sustainable, continuing and effective” (Lord, Dinh and Hoffman 2015).
Consulting Process and Theoretical Models: The Process Consultation Model
encourages a deep bonding with clients where consultants are able to understand the issue and
are able to communicate or make clients realize the root cause & the appropriate solutions for the
same. The model emphasizes the development of self-capability using which clients can be able
to find out and own the solutions also (Schein 1997). The Flawless Consultation Model
recognizes the role of consultants as of a mediator that transfers the required expertise in context
to a given problem to the client organization. It promotes the deepening of the relationship

6ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
between clients and consultants (Lapalme and Conklin 2015). The Action Research Model
identifies three important factors in assisting the client’s issues. Those three factors include
action, evaluation and critical reflection. Consultants and clients jointly facilitate the action
research in identifying the problems, prioritizing the problems, promoting the methods of
examining the root causes and discovering suitable actions that most efficiently and logically
resolve the issue (Waddell et al. 2016).
Consultant services may also fail: One of the examples of failures is when McKinsey
could not effectively reform the NHS. McKinsey has provided consulting services to NHS over
the years. However, it could not change anything and have failed to dislodge the dampened
British administration an inch. The fact is being derived from one book on the performance of
McKinsey. McKinsey had been providing assistance to both the governing body of the NHS and
companies that expected to yield from the modifications (Campbell et al. 2014). The other
example includes the same consultant McKinsey which had advised Railtrack that eventually
collapsed. McKinsey had advised Railtrack to cut down on the infrastructural investments.
Instead of continuous fixes, Railtrack was advised to fix issues on an ad hoc basis. It was then
claimed that the advised strategy caused a number of lethal accidents. It subsequently had lead to
the liquidation of Railtrack (Campbell et al. 2014). The examples of failure have shifted the
focus from the role of consultants to factors that cause them to fail. Moreover, clients need to
first analyze whether their expectations are realistic. If that is not so then there is no point of
scope for hiring any consultant.
Causes of failure: Basically there are three identified reasons that cause consultants to
fail. Those reasons are underprivileged reporting, inadequate information and alteration of scope
(Schilling and Fang 2014). Poor reporting is one of the reasons that make the project to fail.
Some clients do not interfere with what the consultants are doing. They just assume that
consultants have the adequate knowledge using which consultants can efficiently handle the
challenge. However, this is not true as also being evident from concepts already highlighted in
this paper. Consultants and clients need to have a bonding, so that, consultants are able to go
deep insight the matter and identify the root cause. Together they both can reach a solution
which is also the ultimate goal of the consultation process. Hence, clients are also left with the
solution using which they can attain their desired goal (Schilling and Fang 2014). On the other

7ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
hand, poor reporting is a way to no bonding between consultants and the clients. Hence, the
collaboration which is according to the “Process Consultation Model” is a quintessential element
may be missing in between the consultants and the clients (Schein 1997).
Inadequate information is another reason behind the fail projects. Sometimes it happens
that the client gets a proposal from a consultant. In the proposal report, the client may have
highlighted their potentials and the achievements. However, that information may not be a
complete one. Such information may have inadequate proofs of consultant’s capability.
Additionally, some clients have perceptions that they have given the project to a right party.
Hence, they do not feel it necessary to interfere with the consultant's work. Such practices may
lead to a project failure. It is readily advisable that clients are sure enough the consultant they are
hiring. Clients need to make a double or even triple inspection of the validity of the evidence
provided by a specific consultant. This may help clients prevent any failure (Giniuniene and
Jurksiene 2015). Alteration of scope is the other reason which may cause the project to fail.
Sometimes this may also be the scenario that client changes their mind halfway through the
consulting process. Now, the client comes up with a very new outcome. Hence, the halfway
process centered on a different outcome is of no mean now. A reshaping of strategy is then the
need for the new requirement. It is just the wastage of someone’s capability, time, cost, and the
research process. Hence, the project may be a failure (Jimenéz-Jimenéz, Martínez-Costa and
Sanz-Valle 2014). Interpersonal and the effective communication skills according to the Process
Consultation Model are of significant importance to such case. The interpersonal skills help to
form a relationship of understanding between clients and consultants. Hence, there are fewer
chances of miscommunication which is one of the essentials for a change of scope.
Therefore, it is evident that consultation process is similar in concept to organizational
learning (OL) and knowledge management (KM) in regards to the expectations that clients have
from consultants. However, organizational development (OD) consultants differ to KM process
in an organization in terms of their working principles. At the organizational level, KM is
promoted to help its members be able to perform their responsibilities. It is how they promote
competitive learning strategies. However, OD consultants have a different principle for learning.
They learn to keep them acquainted with the wide range of skills to open up a range of
opportunity for them. The range of opportunity means the diverse kind of clients. It is also being

8ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
found in this study that consultants need to have the interpersonal, technical and the consulting
skills. Interpersonal skill is essential because it facilitates a significant bonding between
consultants and clients. Consulting denotes the ability to effectively manage the different phases
of consultation. Technical skills are being supplied to clients. Consultants need to ensure that
they do not mess up with some issues which may end up the project is a failed case. Those few
common issues are poor reporting, inadequate information and alteration of scope.

9ANALYSIS OF CHANGE MANAGEMENT THEORY
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