Question

apply Lewin’s force field analysis to the issue of improving poor moral due to a critical incident.

Answer 1

Force field analysis was developed by Kurt Lewin as a guideline in decision making, problem solving and also prevention from resistance in the implementation of change. Based on the analysis, Lewin suggests that change is the outcome of the competition between the driving force and restraining force. Driving force may represent the problems faced by organization or problems to be avoided in the future; therefore motivates the management to execute a plan of change. On the other hand, Restraining force represents the group of people or sources that resist the approach of change. By using the force field analysis as a guideline, management can easily identify the balance of both driving and restraining forces involved. From there onwards, an organization can determine if the change is viable and work out solutions to increase driving forces and decrease the restraining forces in order for a change to be successfully made. This statement is supported by Bejinaru and Baesu (2013) when they discussed that if the equilibrium of these two forces remains permanent, then there wouldn’t be any change to take place

The Force Field Analysis (FFA) is described as two opposite forces working for and against change. The “Force Field Analysis was created by Kurt Lewin in the 1940s. Lewin originally used it in his work as a social psychologist” (Keenan, 2018, p. 1). Today, it is also used in businesses for making decisions and communications. The “Force-field analysis is the process of identifying and considering the factors or forces that both compel and resist change” (Keenan, 2018, p. 1). There are two forces that help to shape an FFA: driving and resisting.

Lewin’s force field model has four elements these are forces for change, forces resting change, driving forces and the restraining forces. These forces have a different impact on an individual and affect their decision so greatly. They may be internal or external forces.

Forces for change are forces that make an organization react towards change. They move to the direction of change. For business, the internal factors to change may be the need to reorganize the production system for efficiency, need to make more profit and the urge to be the best. The external forces may be the need to survive the competition, increased cost of inputs and technological chance.

Forces resting change are the forces that make a business or organization act against change. The forces may resist change if the change has a negative impact to the performance and operation of the business. It may be due to communication problems at the organization between the employees and the management. The external forces may beif new technology is expensive to afford

Drives to change are the motives that make people want to make a change. They make organizations want to change the way of their operations. Like the need for diversification of products and the need to benefit from economies of scale

Restraining forces are the forces that make the organization resist making a change despite the positive outcomes that may result from the change. These forces result out of fear of the unknown thus the organization finds it difficult to adopt any change even if it has positive outcomes.

Driving forces are those seeking change. The objective of the driving force is to increase stability or a balance of power. Resisting forces are those seeking to maintain the normalcy. Resisting forces control the normalcy while driving forces seek change. Restraining and driving forces affect individual behavior and group structure. Both the driving and restraining forces of an FFA impact change effort. This helps to clarify how to “maximize forces driving the change and minimize the forces restraining the change”