Change has been a matter of great interest to the Sociologists and Behavioural Scientists. A number of theories and models have been postulated. These have been compiled in the literature as seven pure strategies of change. We discuss each of these strategies, in brief.
1.The Fellowship Strategy
The assumption underlying this strategy seems to be, “If we have good,warm inter-personal relations, all other problems will be minor.”Emphasis is placed on getting to know one another and on developing friendships. Groups that use this model often sponsor discussions, dinners, parties and other social events that bring people together.The fellowship strategy places strong emphasis on treating everyone equally; this is often interpreted as treating everyone in the same way. All people must be accepted; no one is turned away. When the group is making decisions, all members are allowed to speak, and all opinions are weighed equally. No fact, feeling, opinion, or theory is considered inherently superior to any other. Arguments are few, because conflict generally is suppressed and avoided.
1.The Fellowship Strategy
The assumption underlying this strategy seems to be, “If we have good,warm inter-personal relations, all other problems will be minor.”Emphasis is placed on getting to know one another and on developing friendships. Groups that use this model often sponsor discussions, dinners, parties and other social events that bring people together.The fellowship strategy places strong emphasis on treating everyone equally; this is often interpreted as treating everyone in the same way. All people must be accepted; no one is turned away. When the group is making decisions, all members are allowed to speak, and all opinions are weighed equally. No fact, feeling, opinion, or theory is considered inherently superior to any other. Arguments are few, because conflict generally is suppressed and avoided.
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| The Fellowship Strategy |
2.The Political Strategy
Political strategists tend to believe that “if all the really influential people agree that something should be done, it will be done”. They emphasise a power structure that usually includes not only formally recognised leaders but informal, unofficial leaders as well. Much of the work done under the political strategy is the result of the leaders’ informal relationships.The political strategy emphasises the identification and influence of people who seem most capable of taking and implementing decisions. It usually focuses on those who are respected and have the largest constituency in a given area. One’s level of influence is based on one’s perceived power and ability to work with other influential people to reach goals that are valued by one’s constituency.
Political strategists tend to believe that “if all the really influential people agree that something should be done, it will be done”. They emphasise a power structure that usually includes not only formally recognised leaders but informal, unofficial leaders as well. Much of the work done under the political strategy is the result of the leaders’ informal relationships.The political strategy emphasises the identification and influence of people who seem most capable of taking and implementing decisions. It usually focuses on those who are respected and have the largest constituency in a given area. One’s level of influence is based on one’s perceived power and ability to work with other influential people to reach goals that are valued by one’s constituency.
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| The Political Strategy |
3.The Economic Strategy
Economic strategists believe that “Money can buy anything or any change we want”. They emphasise the acquisition of or at the very least,influence over all forms of material goods, such as money, land, stocks, bonds, and any other tradable commodity. This strategy is widely used in the United States and the Western world and is used most often by large corporations and by the very rich.Inclusion in a group that espouses this approach usually is based on possession or control of marketable resources. Influence within the group is based on perceived wealth. Most decisions are heavily, if not completely, influenced by questions of profitability as measured by an increase in tangible assets. This approach is highly rational, based on the assumption that all people act more or less rationally from economic motives. As a result, such groups often have high needs for control and for rationality.
4.The Academic Strategy
The academic strategy assumes that “People are rational. If one presents enough facts to people, they will change.” To this end, academic strategists undertake an unending series of studies and produce thousands of pages of reports each year.
Inclusion in a group that plans to use the academic strategy to solve problems or to make changes is based primarily on one’s expertise in a given area or on one’s desire to acquire such knowledge. Leadership and influence within the group generally depends on the degree to which the person is perceived as an expert. Newcomers to the field are considered to have little to contribute, while those with advanced degrees or many years of specialised study receive a great deal of attention.The Engineering Strategy
Economic strategists believe that “Money can buy anything or any change we want”. They emphasise the acquisition of or at the very least,influence over all forms of material goods, such as money, land, stocks, bonds, and any other tradable commodity. This strategy is widely used in the United States and the Western world and is used most often by large corporations and by the very rich.Inclusion in a group that espouses this approach usually is based on possession or control of marketable resources. Influence within the group is based on perceived wealth. Most decisions are heavily, if not completely, influenced by questions of profitability as measured by an increase in tangible assets. This approach is highly rational, based on the assumption that all people act more or less rationally from economic motives. As a result, such groups often have high needs for control and for rationality.
4.The Academic Strategy
The academic strategy assumes that “People are rational. If one presents enough facts to people, they will change.” To this end, academic strategists undertake an unending series of studies and produce thousands of pages of reports each year.
Inclusion in a group that plans to use the academic strategy to solve problems or to make changes is based primarily on one’s expertise in a given area or on one’s desire to acquire such knowledge. Leadership and influence within the group generally depends on the degree to which the person is perceived as an expert. Newcomers to the field are considered to have little to contribute, while those with advanced degrees or many years of specialised study receive a great deal of attention.The Engineering Strategy
5.The Engineering Strategy
Users of this strategy try to bring about behavioural change without dealing directly with the people involved. The underlying assumption is, “If the environment or the surroundings change enough, people will be forced to change”.
Therefore, engineering strategists may spend a great deal of time studying physical layouts, patterns of interaction, and role descriptions in work place and classrooms without ever speaking to the employees or students. Groups that approach change in this way often recruit members based on their technical skills. Group needs often are defined in terms of technical skills, which are considered more important than interpersonal styles.
6.The Military Strategy
The military-style approach to change is based on the use of physical force. The name military has been given to this approach because it conveys the appropriate connotation to most people, not because the military is the sole user of this approach. Police departments, revolutionary student groups, and some teachers, for example, employ the military strategy.The basic assumption behind this approach is, “People react to genuine threats. With enough physical force, people can be made to do anything.” Therefore, considerable time is spent in learning to use weapons and to fight. Physical conditioning, strength, and agility are valued.Membership in military-strategy groups is often determined by one’s physical power and by one’s willingness to submit to discipline. Both within the group and in its dealings with the external environment,influence is exerted primarily through the fear of authority and through the threat of punishment. Members of military-style groups need control,status, and security. They often tend to view most problems and relationships in terms of power, authority, threat and exploitation.
7.The Confrontational Strategy
The confrontational approach to change is based on the assumption that “If one can mobilise enough anger in enough people and force them to look at a problem, the required changes will follow.” Although conflict is stressed, this strategy emphasises non-violent conflict rather than physical force. Membership in such a group is based on one’s ability to deal with and to use conflict in ways that benefit the group.
We end this discussion by presenting a collection of principles/rules of change formulated on the basis of the research and experience of social and behavioural scientists.
Therefore, engineering strategists may spend a great deal of time studying physical layouts, patterns of interaction, and role descriptions in work place and classrooms without ever speaking to the employees or students. Groups that approach change in this way often recruit members based on their technical skills. Group needs often are defined in terms of technical skills, which are considered more important than interpersonal styles.
6.The Military Strategy
The military-style approach to change is based on the use of physical force. The name military has been given to this approach because it conveys the appropriate connotation to most people, not because the military is the sole user of this approach. Police departments, revolutionary student groups, and some teachers, for example, employ the military strategy.The basic assumption behind this approach is, “People react to genuine threats. With enough physical force, people can be made to do anything.” Therefore, considerable time is spent in learning to use weapons and to fight. Physical conditioning, strength, and agility are valued.Membership in military-strategy groups is often determined by one’s physical power and by one’s willingness to submit to discipline. Both within the group and in its dealings with the external environment,influence is exerted primarily through the fear of authority and through the threat of punishment. Members of military-style groups need control,status, and security. They often tend to view most problems and relationships in terms of power, authority, threat and exploitation.
7.The Confrontational Strategy
The confrontational approach to change is based on the assumption that “If one can mobilise enough anger in enough people and force them to look at a problem, the required changes will follow.” Although conflict is stressed, this strategy emphasises non-violent conflict rather than physical force. Membership in such a group is based on one’s ability to deal with and to use conflict in ways that benefit the group.
We end this discussion by presenting a collection of principles/rules of change formulated on the basis of the research and experience of social and behavioural scientists.
Box : Some Principles of Change
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