Question

Q1. Whatever the apparent objective, change is always about individual behavior. Identify and describe Caldwell’s four types of change agents (Ch.1). Compare these with different change situations to show that the skills and abilities of one type of change agent which are suitable in some situations will be unsuitable to other situations.

Answer 1

There are basically 4 types or change agents that are being told and explained by Caldwell to understand and communicate the change in the organisation. The four types of change agents are:

1. Leadership Agent: In this change agent, the change is brough up by the leader. The change agent would act like a leader and would make sure change is adapted and communicated accordingly. For example, if your team leader wants to make some technical changes in the project that only he knows about, he would communicate the change and guide the team members accordingly acting as a leadership agent in change agent.

2. Management Agent: In this change agent, the change agent is the middle person or the manager who wouldn't introduce the change bur would make sure the change is communicated and supported well together. For example, if your company's executives are bringing a change in the policy of the company, the same change is then communicated to the middle level managers to make sure the change is then supported and taken care of to the lowest levels with the help of those managers.

3. Consultancy Agent: In this change agent, the organisation would introduce and communicate the change by having the external consultants to make sure the change is communicated and better manner. For example, if a MIS system is to be adopted in the organisation, a consultancy member would be hired from external environment to make sure the same change is communicated and supported to all the internal members of the organisation which is the adoption of MIS system.

4. Team Agent: In this change agent, the organisation would make sure that a team is already working in the organisation to make sure the same change is complied and worked along well to meet the uncertainities. For example, a change management team is made in the organsation to make sure any uncertain changes if happen in the working of the project by the client side would then be handled by the same team.