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The Theory and Practice of Change Management JOHN HAYES. Basingstoke: Palgrave Publishers Ltd, 2002. 216 pp. ISBN 0333987969 (hbk), 0333987977 (pbk)
The stated purpose of this book is to help the reader develop 'investigative and diagnostic skills', 'manage issues arising from internally planned and externally imposed' change initiatives, heighten 'awareness of how people can facilitate or resist change', and 'manage the human resource in the context of change' (p. xii). The book is written for 'practising managers and for MBA students and others studying for professional qualifications' (p. xii). Hayes also presents a sample outline of how the book can be used to present a course on change management. With that in mind, I set about reviewing this book to see how it would apply to organizations about to undergo, or already going through, change. I also looked at The Theory and Practice of Change Management through the combined lens of a professor teaching change management to graduate students and a practitioner.
The organization of the book is straightforward and clear. It is organized around the steps presented in generic process model of change (Hayes and Hyde, 1998), and is divided into six parts consisting of 18 chapters. The theoretical base is tied to Lewin's (1951) three-stage model of change-unfreezing, changing, refreezing. Hayes also considers the influence of others' (Beckhard and Harris, 1987; Egan, 1988; and Lippett et al., 1958) ideas that expanded on Lewin's theory. Hayes feels these models are relevant because they bring to the forefront of the change process the importance of diagnosis, strategy and planning, and implementation.
In the five chapters of Part...