Force field analysis provides a way to analyze the forces for and against change in a business. It examines the driving forces that support change and the restraining forces that act against change. When the driving forces outweigh the restraining forces, change can occur. The tool involves identifying and assigning scores to the relevant forces to determine how to minimize barriers to goals. Force field analysis has advantages like identifying circumstances that can and cannot be changed and bringing open factors that will help or hinder closing a performance gap.
2. Introducing Kurt Lewin
•American Social Psychologist .
(1890-1946)
•Argued that successful businesses
tend to be constantly adapting to
their environment and changing,
rather than being inflexible.
3. Definition
Force field analysis provides an overview of
the balance between forces driving change
in a business and the forces resisting
changes.
4. Explaining force field analysis
• There are forces driving change and forces restraining
it.
• Where there is an equilibrium between the two sets of
forces there will be no change.
• In order for change to occur the driving force must
exceed the restraining force
6. Purpose Advantages
• Identifytheforces which supportchange
as wellas thosewhich willact against it.
• Evaluate therelative strengthof forces that
affect alternativesolutionstoperform
problems orbusiness opportunities.
• Help analyze and prioritizesolutionsto
problems orareas needing improvement.
• Assessthecauses of performance
problems orinhibitorstobusiness
opportunities.
• Provides a means to analyze ways to
minimize or eliminate barriers to goal
attainment.
• Helps to recognize circumstances
which can and cannot be changed.
• Identified by a needs analysis.
• Brings into the open factors which will
work for and against the closing of a
gap.
7. Steps
• Describe your plan
• Identify forces for change
• Identify force against change
• Assign Scores
• Analyze and Apply
8. Driving Force and Restraining Force
Driving Force
• Forces affecting a situation that
are pushing in a particular
situation.
• It is the positive force for change.
• It works as an aids.
Restraining Force
• Forces acting to decrease the
driving forces.
• It is the obstacles to change.
• It works as a barrier.
9. EXAMPLES
Driving Force
• Improving productivity in a
work group, competition
and pressure from
supervisor.
Restraining Force
• Poor maintenances of
equipment. Lack of
training.
10. EXAMPLE
INTRODUCTION OF COFFEE CORNER IN THE OFFICE
Increase of
Employee
morale
Increase in
Communication
Increase in
Communicati
on
Old
conservative
boss totally
against it
Staff down
time
Cost of
installation
Maintenance
cost
13. CONSLUSION
This tool has a long history and still
maintains its utility. Use it when your team
is blocked in some way or you need to
see the wider picture in a change
program. Itis an essential tool and its
simplicity is a profound way of looking at
an organization.
