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ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Managing strategic change

At Calder Textiles, a force field analysis of a proposed automation project shows strong driving forces from falling margins. The restraining forces are strong employee resistance and union opposition. The CEO proposes simply increasing pressure on staff through tougher targets and a firm deadline. According to Lewin's force field theory, what is the most likely consequence?

Increasing pressure alone is likely to raise tension and provoke stronger resistance, so restraining forces may grow and the change may not hold. Lewin suggested that reducing restraining forces, through involvement and support, is usually more effective than simply pushing harder on driving forces.

  1. ATension and resistance may rise, so restraining forces may grow and the equilibrium may not shift durablyCorrect
  2. BRestraining forces will disappear because pressure unfreezes the organisation
  3. CThe change will be permanent because the driving forces now exceed all restraints
  4. DResistance becomes irrelevant because the margins data justifies the change

Explanation

Lewin argued that adding driving pressure often raises tension and provokes stronger restraining forces, leaving the organisation in a more stressed equilibrium. Reducing restraining forces, for example through consultation and training, is usually more effective. Options claiming resistance vanishes or becomes irrelevant ignore this dynamic.

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