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ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Managing strategic change

Orion Pharma's CEO wants to use Lewin's model but is criticised by a consultant who says the model assumes change is a planned, linear event with a stable end state. In which situation is this criticism most relevant?

The criticism is most relevant where the firm operates in a fast-changing industry needing continuous, emergent change. Lewin's model assumes planned, discrete change moving to a new stable state, which fits poorly when the environment keeps shifting and refreezing would reduce adaptability.

  1. AThe firm operates in a fast-changing industry where continuous, emergent change is neededCorrect
  2. BThe firm faces a one-off office relocation with a fixed completion date
  3. CThe firm needs a simple structured approach for a small, well-defined process change
  4. DThe firm wants to identify driving and restraining forces for a single project

Explanation

A common criticism of Lewin's unfreeze-move-refreeze model is that it suits discrete, planned change and is less suited to turbulent environments needing continuous, emergent adaptation. A relocation, a small process change or a single-project analysis fit the model's assumptions well, so the criticism has less force there.

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