Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools & Techniques of Organizational Change

After reading some of the previous reviews, I feel that they under represent what the authors have tried to do for us. Yes, there's a lot of theory here but if you take a look at what the back of the book says - that is exactly what it was supposed to be. This book is a wonderful compendium of various models, tools, and techniques for organizational change. It is presented in an easy-to-understand structure: Individual, Team, and Organizational change. There are also extremely useful sections on Leading change, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, and cultural change. Because the book provides a wonderful overview of all these theories - it is a great starting point. For those unfamiliar with change it offers a springboard. It is not an advanced, practical book. But it is a wonderful reference - one that I keep close when designing learning programs on change or to dip back into a topic after some time away.

If you are in the field of change management - - this is a must read. It provides the theory and background necessary to fully understand what has become such a popular field of organizational developement.

Esther Cameron and Mike Green's objective is to help their reader understand "why change happens, how change happens, and what needs to be done to make change a more welcoming concept" by carefully reviewing a wealth of resources that provide models, tools, and techniques of organizational change. Their purpose is not to explain how to plan and then implement a change initiative program. Those in need of guidance to do that should seek it elsewhere. (My suggestions would include James O'Toole's Leading Change and John Kotter's book of the same title as well as William Bridges' two books, Transitions and Managing Transitions.) Presumably Cameron and Green would be among the first to agree that it would be a fool's errand for a reader to adopt all of the information and counsel provided in this book when formulating and then implementing any change initiatives. Rather, each reader would be well-advised to absorb and digest the material and then select only what is most relevant to her or his own organization's specific needs, interests, objectives, and resources. The material in this volume is carefully organized within two Parts: The Underpinning Theory (Chapters 1-4): "Individual change is at the heart of everything that is achieved in organizations. Once individuals have the motivation to do something different, the whole world can begin to change...[Individuals] are to some extent governed by the norms of the groups they belong to, and groups are bound together in a whole system of groups of people that interconnect in various habitual ways. So the story is not always that simple. Individuals, teams, and organizations all play a part in the process of change, and leaders have a particularly onerous responsibility: that is, making all this happen." The Applications (Chapters 5-8): In this Part, having looked at change and change management from three different perspectives (i.e. individual, team, and organization) and the roles, styles, and skills needed to become a successful leader of change, Cameron and Green apply this learning to specific types of change. "We have identified four generic change scenarios, and we look at the particular management challenges involved in initiating and implementing each type of change." These change scenarios are structural, mergers and acquisitions, cultural, and IT-based process. One of Cameron and Green's most valuable devices is a graphic consolidation of key points that is inserted throughout their narrative. Each facilitates, indeed expedites frequent review later. For example: Theory X and Theory Y Assumptions (Table 1.2, Page 19) Myers Briggs Type Indicator types or MBTI (Table1.5, Page 45) Teams going through change (Table 2.6, Pages 80-81) Our conclusions about each model of change (Table 3.3, Pages 119-120) Note: This last Table summarizes key points re that include Kurt Lewin (three-step model), R.J. Bullock and D. Batten (planned change), John Kotter (eight steps), R.F. Beckhard and R.T. H

This is one of the most useful, accessible and instantly applicable books on change management out there! It collates quite a few well-published theorems and methodologies in one place, demonstrates the pros and cons of each without going into too much detail, but leaves it to the reader to decide which is appropriate in a given situation and, as a whole, the authors provides you with an unsurpassed collection of tools and models to apply in any given change scenario. You will find yourself referring back to this again and again.

Change management as a concept is relatively new, for these reasons it has been relatively tough finding a complete guide. This book by esther cameron is that guide. Overflowing with information on organisational change, public relations techniques and issues and crisis management. It is the only book you will ever need to manage change.