Question

Explain and give some examples on the change efforts for first order change and second order change in an organization.

Answer 1

First Order Change
First Order Change means the change that is related to the structure, like making some small changes to the system and making an already working process work more efficiently and have better results. It consists of changes that do not change the system entirely rather make some incremental changes to the existing process to make it perform better with more accuracy. In First order change, the ends are still the same just the means of getting to that point is changed. The way you see the world still remains the same in First Order Change. First Order Changes are easy to do changes because we are merely tinkering with the system, we are just looking at the symptoms and the immediate cause rather than the looking system as a whole.

It can be described as:

• Transactional
• Evolutionary
• Adaptive
• Incremental
• Continuous
• Making moderate adjustments

Examples

Reinforcement
Reinforcement in a simple way means strengthening. A business carries a lot of activities to achieve its objectives. There is nothing wrong is strengthening a process even if was working quite well in the first place because doing so is only going to make it more efficient and accurate and produce better results.

Practice
Practicing is only going to making a process better. If a department is now efficient enough to produce the results desired then practice is the only way that does not include a radical change and still improves efficiency. Practice can help in acquiring a new set of skills to do to work better and achieve objectives in the desired time frame.

Creating new ways to collect data
It is not always a great idea to follow the old set of tools and techniques to do a job. if there is a new method to do the job more efficiently and quickly then the business should adapt to the new way of doing that job like using new digital methods to collect data.

Refining existing Processes and Procedures
If a business is not ready to introduce a radical change or entirely new way of doing a job than refining existing processes and procedures is a great way to ensure positive results without making a big change to the working of the business.

Second Order Change
Second order change is considered as a transformational, radical or revolutionary change to the business. Unlike first order change, the changes made here are radical like introducing an entirely new way of doing a job which could turn out to be a difficult thing to do because employees generally do not want that big of a change but because of there is a big change in doing a job, there is likely a chance that issues faced with previously are going to be solved. It requires big changes, a new way of learning and includes a nonlinear progression, a transformation from one way to another. The main reason for this is done is to make an individual behave, think, or feel different.
It can be described as:

• Transformational
• Revolutionary
• Radical
• Discontinuous
• Reinventing
• Reengineered

Examples

Reinventing a Process
Unlike first order change, the changes in second order are revolutionary like reinventing a process and introducing a new way to do that same process. Reinventing a process involves a lot of thinking and analyzing to make sure that a new way of doing the job does not backfire and it actually performs better.

A new way of thinking
A new way of thinking means changing the way employees see themselves. If employees see them as mere workers doing a job from a to b then they are going to miss out on a lot. Employees should not see themselves as just workers who do a job from a to b rather they should also consider listening to the customers and do their job while putting the satisfaction of customers on top.

Discontinuity
In a business where a certain process in failing to produce the desired result then there is an option discontinuing the process rather than trying to tinker with and waste resources. In such a case introducing a new better way of doing a job is the ideal choice.