Jan Timmer called the top 100 managers of the company together for the first time, which included the Board of Management, Product Division and Country Managers. They decided to benchmark the performance of Philips against their competitors. This involves comparing key indicators against those of other organisations. They were forced to conclude that drastic changes were required as Philips performance did not measure up to the competition. Comment on the relevance of the three step change process initiated by Philips and evaluate how the company can effectively apply the Kurt Lewin\'s Change Model to enhance a smooth transition in change interventions.

Sol61:

The three step change process initiated by Philips, which involves unfreezing, changing, and refreezing, is relevant to the situation the company was facing. The benchmarking exercise helped to unfreeze the current situation and highlight the need for change. The next step would be to implement the necessary changes to improve performance, and then to refreeze the new behaviors and processes to ensure they become the new norm.

To effectively apply Kurt Lewin\'s Change Model, Philips can follow these steps:

1. Unfreeze: This involves preparing the organization for change by creating awareness of the need for change and breaking down resistance to it. This can be achieved by communicating the need for change to all stakeholders and involving them in the change process.
2. Change: This involves implementing the necessary changes to improve performance. Philips can use a variety of change interventions, such as restructuring, process redesign, and technology adoption, to achieve the desired results.
3. Refreeze: This involves embedding the new behaviors and processes to ensure they become the new norm. Philips can reinforce the new behaviors through training and coaching, and by aligning incentives and rewards with the desired outcomes.

To enhance a smooth transition in change interventions, Philips can also consider the following strategies:

1. Communicate openly and frequently with all stakeholders to keep them informed about the changes and the reasons for them.
2. Involve employees in the change process by seeking their input and feedback, and by providing opportunities for them to participate in the change initiatives.
3. Provide adequate resources and support to ensure that employees have the necessary tools and training to adapt to the changes.
4. Develop a change management plan that outlines the goals, strategies, timelines, and metrics for the change initiatives, and regularly review and update the plan as needed.
5. Monitor and evaluate the progress of the change initiatives, and make adjustments as needed to ensure that they are on track to achieve the desired outcomes.

Top of Form