Managing Change: Understanding Change

Overview/Description
'To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.' This is a quote by Henri Bergson, a nineteenth century French philosopher. Since the nineteenth century, the pace of change in all aspects of our lives has become faster and faster and responding to change well is a necessity in today's competitive business environment. Leaders and managers, regardless of industry or organization, require a clear understanding of how important organizational change is in order to propel their organizations forward. This course outlines what is meant by change, as well as the importance and benefits of implementing change within an organization. It also details the three different types of organizational change: strategic adjustments, strategic reorientation, and transformational change. Finally, this course covers different practical approaches for managing organizational change, taking into account factors such as the time allotted for the change, the expected degree of change, and the potential resistance to change within the organization. Materials designed to support blended learning activities aligned with this course are available from the Resources Page.

Target Audience
Any manager or leader who has an interest in or will manage or lead organizational change

Expected Duration (hours)
1.0

Lesson Objectives

Managing Change: Understanding Change

match the stages of organizational change with the types of activities that take place during each

recognize the importance of embracing and managing organizational change

match types of organizational change to examples

identify key considerations for combining approaches to change management

recognize the conditions under which each change management strategy would work best