Deck 2: Understanding Change

Question 1

The three steps in Lewin's change model are:

A)freezing, moving and changing
B)unfreezing, moving and refreezing
C)unfreezing, refraining and refreezing
D)changing, moving and freezing
E)moving, unfreezing and refreezing

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Quantum change is usually driven by the OD practitioner due to the expert knowledge required to make significant changes to an organisation.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The positive model has been applied to planned change primarily through a process called:

A)the general model of planned change
B)appreciative inquiry
C)Lewin's model of planned change
D)the supportive model of change
E)the social constructivist model

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In organisations that are underorganised, the consultant shares leadership of the change process with management and maintains flexibility when relating to the organisation.

Question 5

There are three theories of organisation change: Lewin's change model, the action research model and the positive model.

Question 6

The action research model is traditionally focused on a linear model of planned change.

Question 7

Kurt Lewin's fundamental model of planned change has seven steps.

Question 8

Quantum change occurs when an organisation drastically alters its strategic direction and develops its capacity to solve problems and achieve high performance.

Question 9

Theories of planned change have become less relevant as a result of recent global events.

Question 10

The 'positive' approach to planned change is in line with Lewin's model of the action research process.

Question 11

Lewin conceived of change as:

A)modifying the forces that keep a system's behaviour stable
B)changes brought about by decreasing the forces for change
C)the result of effective leadership
D)a modification of those forces that keep a system's behaviour dynamic
E)all of the above

Question 12

What is the first step in the action research model?

A)data gathering and analysis
B)consultation with a behavioural scientist
C)joint diagnosis of problem(s)
D)data gathering after action
E)problem identification

Question 13

Those generally responsible for carrying out planned change efforts are:

A)managers of organisations
B)organisation development (OD) practitioners
C)personnel departments
D)those who worked on designing the change project
E)those who need to lift their performance

Question 14

The general model of planned change describes the way organisation development (OD) efforts always proceed in a strict linear sequence.

Question 15

Planned change can be used to solve problems, to learn from experience, to adapt to external environment changes, to improve organisational performance and influence future changes.

Question 16

Action research:

A)has cyclical phases of planned change
B)depends on diagnosis after planning and implementation is completed
C)reports new data from previous research
D)introduces new actions based on sound OD principles
E)all of the above

Question 17

Traditionally, OD practitioners have been engaged to help solve specific problems in particular organisational systems.

Question 18

Although action research is increasingly being applied in international settings, a major criticism of the approach is that:

A)participatory action research does not suit competitive organisations
B)Western assumptions about change are embedded in the action research model
C)action science is proving to be more effective in international settings
D)self-design approaches are difficult to implement in developing countries
E)all of the above

Question 19

Organisation development (OD) efforts are focused on both planned and unplanned change.

Question 20

Contemporary adaptations make action research apply more generally to:

A)smaller sub-units of organisations
B)promoting social change and innovation
C)developing nations in the northern hemisphere
D)consultant-dominated change
E)entrepreneurial activities

Question 21

The general model of planned change describes a sequence of activities, namely:

A)entering and contracting
B)diagnosing
C)planning and implementing change
D)evaluating and institutionalising change
E)all of the above

Question 22

Organisation development (OD) has been increasingly concerned with quantum change because:

A)organisations can achieve better results by focusing on longer-term, planned change
B)to remain competitive, many businesses need to drastically alter how they operate
C)realigning businesses requires developmental change
D)enhancing the quality of work life (QWL) cannot be achieved using incremental change
E)planned change is insufficient to enable organisations to manage complexities effectively

Question 23

Different typologies of change management are:

A)participative evolution
B)charismatic transformation
C)forced evolution
D)dictatorial transformation
E)all of the above

Question 24

Which activities in the general model of planned change are carried out jointly by practitioners and members?

A)entering and contracting
B)diagnosis
C)planning and implementing change
D)evaluating and institutionalising change
E)all activities in the general model

Question 25

Explain how action research has substantially increased the degree of member involvement in the change process and why.

Question 26

What is one of the most important processes in OD? Why? Explain the process as part of your answer.

Question 27

An organisation is overorganised when:

A)its policies and procedures are too rigid for effective performance
B)its organisation chart specifies every position in detail
C)everyone has a job description
D)its leaders are autocratic
E)it becomes bureaucratic

Question 28

Define quantum change and briefly explain how it is related to organisation development?

Question 29

Dunphy and Stace argue that change management should be approached from:

A)a holistic perspective
B)a leadership perspective
C)an organisational perspective
D)a situational perspective
E)a strategic perspective

Question 30

Identify and discuss problems with the way planned change has been conceptualised.

Question 31

Different theories of planned change have been integrated into a general model of planned change.This general model identifies the steps that an organisation normally moves through in the process of planned change.Discuss.

Question 32

Most models of planned change specify:

A)the organisational features that can be changed
B)a general set of steps that are intended to be applicable to most change efforts
C)the causal mechanisms of change which can be diagnosed at the beginning of the engagement
D)the contingencies upon which successful change depends
E)all of the above

Question 33

Explain the key issues relating to underorganised organisations.

Question 34

The key to successful organisational change is:

A)change in the behaviour of each member
B)change in the behaviour of some members
C)change in the behaviour of all members
D)providing information about causal mechanisms
E)making information available about various settings

Question 35

There are several criteria for designing interventions, including:

A)entering and contracting, planning and implementing change, diagnosing change, evaluating change and institutionalising change
B)the organisation's readiness for change, its current change capability, its culture and power distributions and the change agent's skills and abilities
C)human processes at the individual, group and total system levels, the organisation's structure and technology and human resource structures
D)motivating change, creating a desired future vision of the organisation, developing political support, managing the transition towards the vision and sustaining momentum for change
E)all of the above

Question 36

Planned change was traditionally applied to:

A)general problems in organisational systems
B)organisational problems in general systems
C)all dimensions of organisations
D)all dimensions and levels of organisations
E)situations that involve incremental change

Question 37

What are the steps in Lewin's change model?

Question 38

Briefly explain the importance of Lewin's change model.

Question 39

An organisation is underorganised when:

A)there is too little regulation for effective task performance
B)leadership and organisational structure are ill-defined
C)it fails to control task behaviours
D)communication is fragmented
E)all of the above

Question 40

In practice, the steps in the general model of planned change are often implemented:

A)by the organisation's managers
B)by organisation development (OD) practitioners
C)as organisation members modify the stages
D)in a variety of ways
E)in the sequence depicted in the model in typical organisations

Question 41

'Critics have suggested that there are several problems with the way planned change is carried out.These concerns are not with the planned change model itself, but with how change takes place and with the qualifications and activities of organisation development (OD) practitioners.' Do you agree? Why or why not?