Knowing what needs to change in an organisation requires the collection, analysis, and interpretation of relevant data. This is important in the formulation of a problem statement that best describes the phenomenon that requires change.
Choosing a Conceptual Model for Diagnosing What Needs to Change
Organisations must study different conceptual models that can help explain the complex relationships of the different elements they want to address. They can then choose the most appropriate model to use in the gathering and interpretation of change information.
Clarifying Information Requirements
Each conceptual model comes with its own set of variables or elements. These variables are often defined in the general sense. It is important for managers and change agents have a clear understanding of the requirements of these elements before they can move on to the next step. There are also many attributes that can define each variable. These attributes should be very clear whenever setting out to gather information about it.
Gathering Information
Data collection involves using tools that are appropriate to the type of data being sought. There are two fundamental types of information: objective and subjective. These equate to quantitative and qualitative information, respectively. Here are some of the most common tools that people employ in gathering information.
- Interviews
These involve a face-to-face interaction between the interviewer and the subjects of the data collection process or the interviewees. It often involves questions that interviewers must respond to. This type of data gathering technique is often used in qualitative approaches. However, some quantitative methods also rely on some form of interview.
- Questionnaires
These are like interviews, except that the answers are already pre-selected for the respondents to choose from. There are also questionnaires that contain open-ended questions to help determine the sentiments of the respondents.
- Projective Methods
There are certain questions that may be too direct or offensive to ask respondents. In such situations, projective methods are used. These are unstructured and indirect methods that help define the underlying intentions, urges, or motives of the respondents without them knowing it. It allows for making inferences, but at a qualitative point of view. Examples of these are word association tests, expression techniques, construction tests, and completion tests.
- Observations
This is one of the oldest methods for gathering qualitative data. It involves the use of the senses to help describe a phenomenon, especially the senses of sight and hearing.
- Unobtrusive Measures
These techniques allow the collection of data without causing any interference to the normal routine of the respondents. Examples are content analysis, historical analysis, secondary data analysis, and indirect measures. There are also indirect measures such as house prices, social media posts, car accidents, and employment rates, among others.
- Sampling
Organisations that wish to establish causal relationships among the different variables often use sampling techniques. It can involve a simple random sampling method or a more complex systematic sampling technique. The randomness of the sampling method can allow for the creation of more accurate and valid generalisations.
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Analysing the Information Gathered
All information gathered must undergo analysis using appropriate techniques. These methods fall under two general classifications: qualitative and quantitative.
- Qualitative Techniques
Information analysed using qualitative techniques is often very subjective. These techniques attempt to identify patterns or themes as well as establishing connections between them. There are four very common techniques for analysing qualitative data. These include content analysis, discourse analysis, narrative analysis, and grounded theory.
Content analysis is often used to process the information gathered from interviews. Narrative analysis is almost like content analysis. However, it focuses more on the experiences and stories shared by the interviewees. Discourse analysis emphasises the social context upon which the interview process occurred. Grounded theory attempts to determine the relationship between different cases into one meaningful explanation or ‘theory’.
- Quantitative Techniques
There are many statistical tools that can aid in quantitative data analysis. Three of the fundamental techniques of analysing quantitative or numerical information are descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and inferential analysis.
Descriptive analysis methods only provide a numerical representation of a phenomena. The most common techniques include measures of central tendency that include the mode, median, and mean. There are measures of dispersion, too. These include standard deviation and variances.
Correlational analysis proves the existence of a correlation between two variables. Co-relationships are different from causal relationships. The latter is defined by the existence of a cause-effect relationship, whereby one variable is the outcome of the other variable. Correlations do not define such cause-effect relationships. The technique used in determining causal relationships is inferential analysis.
Interpreting the Information
statement upon which to base the formulation of the change diagnosis. Hence, interpreting the results of the data analysis is important.
It is important to put the information analysed in perspective whenever attempting to interpret it. You can compare the results to standards or any other predetermined measure. This will help provide a general understanding of where the organisation currently sits. Managers can also consider existing recommendations and suggestions in making a more relevant interpretation of information for organisational change.
Developing a Change Diagnosis
Two of the most common methods that organisations employ in developing a change diagnosis statement are the Force-field approach and the SWOT analysis.
understanding of everything about their organisation. This includes the things that make them strong and weak. It also includes an examination of available opportunities and any potential threat to their organisation. The main idea is to leverage on the organisation’s strengths and opportunities, while also overcoming threat and weaknesses.
- Force Field Approach
Kurt Lewin developed the Force Field Analysis technique in the 1940s. The model presents two opposing forces that can have an impact on the success of the proposed change. On one end are the forces that want change to occur. On the other end are the forces that resist change. Lewin proposed that change can occur if the organisation can strengthen the forces or elements that drive change. If this is not possible, then the organisation must be able to weaken those forces that are resistant to change.
Formulating a credible and appropriate change diagnosis starts with the collection of relevant data. The information requires thorough analysis and interpretation to come up with a meaningful statement that describes the change that the organisation wants to achieve.