Organizational Change Management Report - Module Name, Semester

This report delves into the intricacies of organizational change management, examining two key theoretical perspectives: objectivism and social constructionism. It explores how these ontologies shape the understanding of change within organizations, critically discussing their core ideas and features. The report then provides distinct definitions of organizational change derived from each perspective, highlighting their underlying theoretical links. Furthermore, the report applies these concepts to a real-world case study of Woolworths, Australia, analyzing its change management processes through the lens of Lewin's Change Management Model. The analysis includes examining the 'Unfreeze,' 'Change,' and 'Refreeze' stages, demonstrating how the theoretical frameworks and models are implemented and how they relate to the specific changes undertaken by Woolworths. The report concludes by explaining how the previously established definitions of organizational change relate to the observed changes within the company.

Running head: ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Organizational Change Management
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Author Note

2ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
1) Identify the two, different, theoretical perspectives (ontologies or world-views) used
in this subject, which underpin how we understand organizational change, and
explain and critically discuss their key ideas and features, drawing from the topic
materials (overview, textbook, the required academic readings) provided and from
your wider reading. Go on to write two different definitions of organizational
change, one based upon the first theoretical perspective (ontology) discussed above,
and the second based on the other theoretical perspective (ontology) discussed
above. Briefly explain the link between each definition and its underlying theoretical
perspective.
Answer:
Organizational change is the consistent part of the culture of an organization- may it be
business or academic or political one. The purpose of the organizational change in most of the
cases pertains to the achievement of competitive advantage is a market. Change theories and
models are first interpreted, then incorporated and then implemented in an organization that
associates more than basic innovative processes (Morgan, 2013). Since change is operated at
almost all the layers of an organization, it imposes an important component through the
organizational leadership quality. There are different change management models and theories
that encompass specific shift from the existing operations to the proposed one. The aim of every
organization is to confirm the acceptance of the changes by the employees so as to find out the
basic concept in terms of creating the effort for the basic changes where this would find out how
effective this is.

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Management of change is used as an important tool for the business organization to incur
effective innovation in core operational process. In this context Lewin’s change management
model can be studied and then applied for further analysis. The other important change
management model or theory that can be used and applied for further study is McKinsey’s 7-S
Model. Since the change management in this paper is going to be captivated within the
contextual framework of an organization, the aforementioned theories and models are supposed
to be apt for the entire understanding of the process (Jay, 2013). Both the models are absolutely
associated with the core understanding of the change management process. Following two
important aspects can be taken into certain consideration for comprehension of the organizational
change:
i) Objectivism
ii) Social Constructionism
Following the theories it can be stated that the organizational change can be driven through
the better understanding of the process in terms of creating an effective case that has been taken
into the basic and rudimentary management studies (Burr, 2015) . According to the basic
philosophy of objectivism, there is no better goal for an individual than to attain happiness. Since
we are talking about the organizational change, the better goals would be identified as the benefit
and the profit that an organization strives to achieve in its business practices . Objectivism
encompasses optimistic thought process of an organization – including its management body, its
employees and its external and internal stakeholders. The change is proposed or brought in to
effect in order to hoard the greater number of the organizational members for the purpose of
ensuring collective thought process that would bring happiness for all the members working
together in an organization. Objectivism as detailed by Ayn Rand, talks about the relationship

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between different thought processes that help deliver effective ideas to procure organizational
success.
On the other hand, social constructionism deals with the theory of knowledge or
communication. The change in the mode of communication in an organization becomes quite
important as it develops cohesive understanding among the employees. One of the most
important aspects that have been taken into certain consideration with this topic is that constant
communicative development and strength among the employees would be delivering into the fact
of important understanding that would drive an organization towards its overall business success.
Workforce cohesion has put under constant emphasis because it leads the organizations towards
utter success (Klein, Becker, & Meyer, 2012). The overall cognitive business development of
the organization leads to the effective implementation of the business strategies and if the
communication level among the employees is channelized properly, it would focus on the
effective understanding and collaborative effort thus resulting in fruitful development of the
entire workforce. Constructionism is again considered to be theory dealing with positive aspects
of an organization. The theory of constructionism encompasses the rationalization of the
experience with the help of the creation of social world. The model is reified through verbal
communication or language. In order to bring change in an organization there is a clear chance to
fight against the lacunas that is prevalent effectively. Change management models designed by
the Lewin would be incorporating these concepts of lingual development that has to be taken into
certain understanding that has to be developed through cognitive understanding of the process
(Barrett, Thomas, & Hocevar, 2015). As a matter of fact, there is clear chance to incorporate the
basic need of change and then work according to the frame proposed by the entire workforce. as
a matter of fact this has to be taken into taken into certain consideration pertaining to the

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effective understanding of the fact that this has to be the most important aspect of how the
organizations would introduce and bring changes with effective implementation since the
theoretical understandings have to be taken into certain understanding of the process this has to
be taken into certain consideration with the effective understanding that has to be taken into
certain consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of the fact. Social constructionism
deals with the individual perception shared assumption. In an organization this theory can be
implement ted in order to ensure reciprocity within the workforce. Since in many of the
organizations have workforce diversity and they need to ensure the individuals in the workforce
that those individuals need to respond positively to the actions and reactions of each other, social
cohesion and constructive attitude becomes important for them. This is how; revelation and
conciliation of the employees working together in an organization becomes important (Langley,
Smallman, Tsoukas, & Van de Ven, 2013). The social and cultural association of the employees
in an organization is emphasized in due course of time.
2) a) Using an organisation that you are familiar with (you may use information in the
public domain, i.e. from organisational websites and other forms of media to assist you):
Answer:
In this context the change management of Woolworths has been discussed and analyzed
with the help of the aforementioned theories and models. It has already been discussed that the
organizational change management incurs the concept of bringing and executing change in order
to excel the quality if operations performed within the organization. Eventually incorporation of
the theories would be effectively processed through the conceptual understanding of how the
operational works are performed in Woolworths, Australia. Before doings so, an introductory

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concept needs to be built up pertaining to the organization (Thomas, 2014). Woolworths, being
one of the largest retailers operating in Australia and New Zealand has been registering
significant growth in the core operational process. Unfreeze:
Unfreeze is the process that is aimed at preparing any organization to anticipate
the changes. This might be achieved by illumination of the need for changes, and the driving
frces and the danger of not accepting the changes. This process includes challenging the beliefs
and value systems within the company and developing an analogue of prosperity and of course
success if the needed change is implemented. In terms of Woolworths Limit (Cameron & Green,
2015)ed, the driving forces of change constitute of the narrowing down of the fortune of the
company in terms of its grip on the capital, the ongoing low sales volumes, decline in the
turnover, loosing important number o the customers thus hindering certain prosperity in the
process of attracting greater number of the customers. As a matter of fact, an important number
of the support workers have been reduced by the organization thus lowering down the moral
boost of the employees. This has been taken into certain consideration pertaining to the effective
consideration of the case that was highly effective in terms of creating an effective understanding
of the process (Higgs, Kickert, Tummers, Grandia, & Van der Voet, 2014). The reduction of the
staffs thus entailing the loosening of the moral strength of the employees can be studied and
assessed through the theory of social constructionism where the employees have not been able to
find a link to possess a moral and existing social value within the organization. In this context it
can be stated that most of the employees have remained abstruse whether they are secured in the
organization. Objectivism leads to the extension of independent mind. Woolworths has always
been supporting innovation in operational process.
Change:

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This stage of the change includes the individuals to search for ways to make changes. The
behavior and general attitude gets directed towards supporting the changes during the
metamorphosis. The individuals examine how they are affected by the change and Woolsworth’s
changing process was completely focused on reducing costs and streamlining the operations of
the organization. According to Lewin, the second change i.e. the change looks into the factor for
the exact understanding of how the things are done in a particular way. In this context the
behavior and attitude of the people working in an organization is directed towards acceptance of
the change introduced. In case of Woolworths, the change is also addressed towards their own
life- how they are benefited in person. In recent years, Woolworths has focused on cost reduction
and it has decided to implement the plan upon its workforce thus reducing the number of heads.
If we consider objectivism and apply this to the second stage of Lewin’s change management
model, this has to be taken into certain consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of
the process that has been highly impactful in this essence. In this regards, it can be stated that the
change is undoubtedly going to bring benefits for the company in terms of saving its extra
operational expenses.
Refreeze:
The organizations like Woolsworth, exihibit signs of refreeze by the job descriptions and
organizational charts. This stage helps the workforce to internalize the changes, and in this stage
the most of the workforce is stable and content about the future of the organization.
This cycle is somewhat linked to the competitive environment of Woolsworth Limited
and this model consists of innovative phases that includes discovery of lates business ideas and

8ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
also this leads to a breaking point where the efficiency phase is characterized by the exit of
efficient organizations.
In an organization like Woolworths, the changing process encompassed departure of few
senior employees including the head of the brand strategy. the organization cut costs more than
500 million US dollars and still investing this amount into other lucrative business opportunities.
The organization established that they have lost the loyalty of their clients and aims to regain it
in no time and this change process encompassed a two years investment in data analytics.
Through job descriptions and the organizational charts, the changes are exhibited (Goetsch &
Davis, 2014). In this stage, Lewin proposes that the employees are guided to internalize the
changes in need. In this stage most of the employees are observed to be stable and flexible to
accept those changes. Incorporating the change in everyday business would definitely help the
employees in every layer of the organization to find out how effective this would be for the
entire understanding of the cultural discourses within the organizations.
c) Go on to explain how your definitions (from Question 1 above) related to the change
occurring in this organisation. (c.650 words in total).
Lewin’s Change Management Model:
Unfreeze:
Unfreeze is the process that is aimed at preparing any organization to anticipate the
changes. This might be achieved by illumination of the need for changes, and the driving frces
and the danger of not accepting the changes. This process includes challenging the beliefs and
value systems within the company and developing an analogue of prosperity and ofcourse
success if the needed change is implemented. In terms of Woolworths Limited, the driving forces

9ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGEMENT
of change constitute of the narrowing down of the fortune of the company in terms of its grip on
the capital, the ongoing low sales volumes, decline in the turnover, loosing important number o
the customers thus hindering certain prosperity in the process of attracting greater number of the
customers
Change:
This stage of the change includes the individuals to search for ways to make changes. The
behavior and general attitude gets directed towards supporting the changes during the
metamorphosis. The individuals examine how they are affected by the change and Woolsworth’s
changing process was completely focused on reducing costs and streamlining the operations of
the organization. According to Lewin, the second change i.e. the change looks into the factor for
the exact understanding of how the things are done in a particular way.
Refreeze:
The organizations like Woolsworth, exihibit signs of refreeze by the job descriptions and
organizational charts. This stage helps the workforce to internalize the changes, and in this stage
the most of the workforce is stable and content about the future of the organization. This cycle is
somewhat linked to the competitive environment of Woolworth Limited and this model consists
of innovative phases that includes discovery of lattes business ideas and also this leads to a
breaking point where the efficiency phase is characterized by the exit of efficient organizations
(Bolman & Deal, 2017).

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2) a) Draw up a SWOT analysis, as a table, to assess what has caused the need for the
organisational change which you identified in question 2 above, then explain, discuss
and integrate your analysis, including a conclusion that summarise the current state
of the business and connects this to why the change was (or is being) implemented.
Strength Weakness
i) Cost Reduction
ii) Focus on establishing Integrity
Among the Existing employees
iii) Change in the managerial body
has effectively brought the force
into firm operational quality.
i) Sudden cut of jobs has created a
lacuna among the workforce
thus creating an effective gap
between the head workers and
the lower layer employees.
ii) Sudden threat to the security in
terms of job retention has
created tension among the
employees. this threat has also
caused increase in the rate of
employee turnover
Opportunity Threat
The change in the human resource department
has effectively created broader room for the
organization to build a new team accordingly
The new team shall remain responsible for the
usage of the potential of the existing workforce
The only threat that the company would need
to be addressing in the near future is that the
new hiring should be trusted by the
organization. In this context, it can be stated
that the threat that Woolworths is right now
feeling is the reduction in the expenses behind

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human resource department.
Conclusion on the Current State of Business:
From aforementioned SWOT analysis it can be stated that in most of the cases the
company deals with the change in the human resource department that has effectively
highlighted the change in the core operational process. While considering the theories, it can be
stated that the organization stands, at this point of time, at the verge of its workforce change.
The objectivism theories had been taken into certain consideration while addressing the
problems.
b) Then, in your own words, (but using references to support you) identify and critically
evaluate the benefits and drawbacks (from both the objectivist and social constructionist
perspectives) of using business SWOT analyses in general to determine the need for
organizations to change.
From the aforementioned understanding of the product this has been taken into
certain consideration of the fact that this has to be taken into the basic understanding with its
different perspectives. In most of the cases, the organizations this has been taken into certain
consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of the fact that this has to be taken into
certain consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of the case. If we consider the
basic understanding of the objectivism, this needs to be taken into certain consideration
pertaining to the effective culture that was highly effective with the basic understanding of the
process. The change process that Woolworths has encompassed pertaining to the departure of the
managers has caused a change in the brand strategy.

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The brand strategy that was highly brought into the notice of the company has been
considering the effectiveness of the changes in core operational process. However, there has
been some effective consideration of the fact that this has been taken into certain consideration
pertaining to the effective consideration that has been taken into certain consideration pertaining
to the fact that this has been taken into basic understanding of the fact that there is a clear chance
to find out how effectively that would focus on the basic structure of the case that has been taken
into certain consideration for the purpose of the actual case.
In order to bring the change the company ought to focus on the development of moral
construction and objectives of the employees. As a matter of fact, this has to be taken into
certain consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of the cases. It has been observed
that in the year 2016, Woolworths has cut 400 jobs that have resulted in significant number of
employee redundancy in Melbourne. The consequence was nothing but moral degradation of the
remaining employees that has resulted in a significant growth in the rate in employee turnover.
Woolworths has to bring some changes that would address the greater number of the employees
so as to reduce the rate of employee turnover. Since this has been take into certain consideration
pertaining to the effective understanding of the entire case that has been taken into certain
consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of the process that has been taken into
certain consideration pertaining to the effective understanding of the case because of the its
certain understanding of the issues. Hence, the decision taken by Woolworths pertaining to the
staff retention has been under suspicion due to its authenticity. Lewin’s change model can be
channelized through the effective understanding of the model that was highly impactful in the
consideration of the basic case. Lewin’s change management model does not consider size and
age of a business. Hence, it can be circumnavigated through the dynamic operational courses