Climate+for+Change+in+the+Org

=Climate for Change in the Organization= Zaltman and Duncan identify another important source of resistance as the overall climate for change in the organization. There are three dimensions to the climate for change: need for change, openness to change, and potential for change. The need for change refers to the extent that the organization members perceive that a change is necessary. Openness to change describes the extent to which these individuals see their organization as willing to consider change. Lastly, the potential for change expresses the perceived ability of the organization to successfully cope with change.

It is important for change agents to realize the greater the need for change, the less likely are members of the client system to see their organization as open to or capable of effective change.

Zaltman and Duncan describe the best way to handle such cases; the change agent must build confidence among members of the client system that they have the necessary competencies for a successful effort. The opposite scenario is just as important for the change agent to consider; in organizations already confident in their openness and ability to change, change agents may need to place extra emphasis on the benefit of continuous improvement, as these individuals are less likely to perceive a need for change.