Reconsidering Change Management: Applying Evidence-based Insights in Change Management Practice

Despite the popularity of organizational change management, the question arises whether its prescriptions and dominant beliefs and practices are based on solid and convergent evidence. Organizational change management entails interventions intended to influence the task-related behavior and associated results of an individual, team, or entire organization. There is a perception that a lot of change initiatives fail and limited understanding about what works and what does not and why.

Drawing on the field of psychology and based on primary research, Reconsidering Change Management identifies 18 popular and relevant commonly held assumptions with regard to change management that are then analyzed and compared to the four specific themes laid out in the book (people, leadership, organization, and change process), resulting in their own set of assumptions. Each assumption will have a brief introduction in which its relevance and popularity is explained. By studying the scientific evidence, in particular meta-analytic evidence, the book provides students and academics in the fields of change management, organizational behavior, and business strategy the best available evidence for the acceptance or dropping of certain (change) management assumptions and their accompanying practices. By exploring the topics people, leadership, organization, and process, and the related assumptions, change management is restructured and reframed in a prudent, positive, and practical way.

Steven ten Have is full Professor of Strategy and Change at the VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands, visiting professor at the Nyenrode Business University, the Netherlands, Chairman of the Foundation The Center for Evidence-Based Management, and Partner at TEN HAVE Change Management, the Netherlands.

Wouter ten Have is University Lecturer of Organization and Change at the VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands, visiting University Lecturer of Change Management (MBA Healthcare Management) at the Amsterdam Business School, the Netherlands, and Partner at TEN HAVE Change Management, the Netherlands.

Anne-Bregje Huijsmans is a Consultant at TEN HAVE Change Management, the Netherlands.

Maarten Otto is visiting University Lecturer of Organization and Change (Master of Science in Management) at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the Netherlands and Consultant at TEN HAVE Change Management, the Netherlands.