Slide 7.

Session Seven
hard systems models of change

Learning objectives:
Recognize change situations (problems/opportunities)
characterized mainly by hard complexity, where the use of hard
systems methodologies are appropriate
Describe the main features of hard systems methodologies for
defining, planning and implementing change
Explain the hard systems model of change (HSMC) as
representative of hard systems methodologies of change
Discuss the limitations of hard systems methodologies of
change and, therefore, the need for other change
methodologies more suited to situations of soft complexity
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.2

Situations of change
There are a variety of ways of categorizing
organizational change
Change of hard complexity is more likely to be enacted
easily and speedily than situations that show soft
complexity
Situations of hard complexity are also described as
difficulties
HSMC is best applied in relatively bounded situations
described variously as difficulties, simple/unitarist
systems or hard situations

Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.3

Characteristics of unitary, pluralist

and coercive relationships

Unitary: people share common interests, have values and beliefs that
are highly compatible, largely agree upon ends and means, all
participate in decision making and act in accordance with agreed
objectives.
Pluralist: people have a basic compatibility of interest, have values
and beliefs that diverge to some extent, do not necessarily agree
upon ends and means, but compromise is possible, all participate in
decision making and act in accordance with agreed objectives.
Coercive: people do not share common interests, have values and
beliefs that are likely to conflict, do not agree upon ends and means
and genuine compromise is not possible and coerce others to
accept decisions.
Flood and Jackson 1991 p. 34-5
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.4

Systematic approaches to change

HSMC is derived from earlier methods of problem
solving and decision making, such as systems
engineering methods and operational research
Hard approaches rely on the assumption that clear
change objectives can be identified in order to work out
the best way in achieving them
Objectives should be such that that it is possible to
quantify them, or be sufficiently concrete so that one can
know when they have been achieved
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.5

The hard systems model of change

1. The description phase describing and
diagnosing the situation, understanding what is
involved, setting the objectives for the change
2. The options phase generating options for
change, selecting the most appropriate option,
thinking about what might be done
3. The implementation phase putting feasible
plans into practice and monitoring the results
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.6

Phase 1

Stages within the hard systems

methodology for change
Stages

Actions appropriate for each stage

1. Situation Summary

(a) Recognize the need for change

(b) Test out others views on the need
for change
(c) Using appropriate diagnostic
techniques, confirm hard complexity

2. Identify objectives
and constraints

(d) Set up objectives for systems of

interest
(e) Identify constraints on the
achievements of objectives

3. Identify performance
measures

(f) Decide how the achievement of the

objectives can be measured

Description

Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Stages within the hard systems

methodology for change (continued)

Slide 7.7

Phase 2

Stages

Actions appropriate for each stage

4. Generate Options

(g) Develop ideas for change into clear

options for achievement of the
objectives
(h) Consider a range of possibilities

5. Edit options and

detail selected options

(i) Describe the most promising

options in some detail
(j) Decide, for each option, what is
involved, who is involved and how
it would work

Options

6. Evaluate options against (k) Evaluate performance of chosen

measures
option against criteria set in Stage 3
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Stages within the hard systems

methodology for change (continued)

Slide 7.8

Phase 3

Stages

Actions appropriate for each stage

Implementation
7. Develop implementation (l) Select preferred option(s) and
strategies
plan how to implement
8. Carry out the planned
changes

(m) Involve all concerned

(n) Allocate responsibilities
(o) Monitor progress

Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.9

An evaluation matrix
Objectives &
Related
Measures

Option A

Option B

Option C

Option D

Objective 1
Measure 1
Objective 2
Measure 2
Objective 3
Measure 3
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.10

Using the HSMC Activity

1. Use example used in text to go through the stages and
identify issues that might arise form this.
2. Can you think of an example that would be considered
bounded or hard that you or a group could try to follow
the stages identified in the model.

Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006

Slide 7.11

Comment and conclusions

The hard systems model provides a practical approach to
change that has been designed to apply to situations of
low-medium complexity
The HSMC can also be effective to begin to diagnose a
change situation before categorizing it into more simple or
complex change
What this methodology is less good at doing is identifying
the political and moral issues surrounding types of change
Senior and Fleming, Organizational Change, 3rd edition Pearson Education Limited 2006