The Theory and Practice of Change Management

by John Hayes

John Hayes' bestselling textbook combines a scholarly discussion of change management with a host of practical tools and techniques. It provides future managers with all the skills they need to diagnose the need for change and to ensure its successful implementation. The book's unique underpinning framework views change as a purposeful and constructed sequence of events, rather than something chaotic and unmanageable. Its hands-on approach includes a number of 'Change Tools' that students can apply to various scenarios, an array of case studies and examples based on real-life organisations worldwide and video interviews with experienced change practitioners, who share their insights on key topics.

The book will be essential reading for final-year business undergraduates, as well as MBA and postgraduate students who are taking modules in change management or organisational change. It is also ideal for change practitioners and consultants.

New to this
- Two new chapters on ethical change management practice
- A new chapter on value innovation
- A new section showing how the book supports employability skills
- Brand new international case studies and examples, including the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the collapse of BHS, and company culture at Uber
- A free-to-access website featuring audio-visual Tutorials with narration by the author, lecturer slides, detailed briefings on the book's case studies, and much more

Genres: Business, Management

Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive textbook on change management

The preface to this book says it was “originally written for practicing managers and for M.B.A. students and others who have considerable experience of working in organizations.” That is a great goal, but make no mistake: this is a textbook, with all the good and bad that term implies. On the positive side, it means that author John Hayes is extremely expert, complete and methodical. He defines all the terms, summarizes all the research, and breaks all the chapters into units complete with case studies, diagrams and concluding summaries. On the negative side, it means this book can be very slow-going in spots, the style is sometimes academic and, especially in the early chapters, the author tends to emphasize broad theoretical frameworks rather than tools you can apply immediately. Hayes does get to specific suggestions later in the book and they are quite useful, but getAbstract recommends his comprehensive tome primarily to students of change management and to patient practitioners. Those who want to learn change management will come away far better informed, but not without working at it.

[Richard Newton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very solid book, and well written. If you are after an encyclopaedic review of lots of change materials, all properly referenced then this may well be the book for you. It is certainly more accessible than some other academic books on the subject. However, if you are after practical guidance of delivering change then I think this is less likely to work for you - it is not that the advice is not here, there is lots and lots here, but it is hard to make it into a cohesive view for a change manager of "so what should I do now?".

[Wilbert Mutoko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book with specific illustrations

[Dr Mohamed Ibrahim, MBA, Ph.D · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is very thoroughly; not easy to read and understand the ideas clearly. If you are at the beginning of reading on Change Management topic, so it will not be your first choice; it is dedicated to the professionals in the field. I've read it as part of my MBA program at the GUC Egypt.

Mohamed Ibrahim