Case: 4

A force field analysis can be used to identify aspects of the organisation that might aid change, blockages to change and what needs to be developed to aid change. In the late 1990s the Forestry Commission in the UK was wrestling with significant strategic challenges. The collapse in world timber prices meant that alternative sources of income were needed. Additionally, the government's policy was to develop an emphasis on forestry for leisure and social inclusion, not just the production of timber. However, what emerged from a cultural web analysis was that the organisation's current culture raised problems over moving to such a future.

Foresters saw themselves as the forestry experts, which translated into an attitude of 'FC knows best', a tendency to see the forests as 'theirs' and the public as a 'nuisance', getting in the way of efficient timber production. There was also an ingrained public sector ethos - a sense of contributing to society rather than working for commercial gain. The command and control style of management had also led to a deference to senior management and there was the bureaucracy of a public sector organisation. It also took at least 50 years to grow trees: linked to this was a deep sense of tradition making the

organisation conservative and slow to change.

Force Field analysis was then used to consider what changes in culture would be needed if the Forestry Commission were to put more emphasis on 'forests for the community'. As well as identifying many barriers to change that needed to be removed, the force field analysis identified aspects of the culture that might facilitate change. These included the powerful support for change of the 'Director General', the commitment of employees to the organisation, the ethos of hard work and the potential flexibility, together with a desire from within the organisation to change the command and control culture. It was also possible to identify what might be added to this: for example, widespread participation in the change programme could help achieve ownership of future vision; and increased diversity of personnel together with a more inclusive management style with more listening and less telling could promote more innovation and commitment.

Q5. What might be some of the problems in managing changes indicated by the force field analysis?