The Social Psychology of Change Management

1  Social Psychology and Change Management¹

Introduction

Social psychology can offer important insights into change, for instance that change and intervention are all about interaction and meaning. However, in change management the insights provided by social psychology are not used frequently enough. By understanding the perspective of social psychology, change management as a profession can continue to grow. Managers and advisers are working every day to change organizations and the behaviour of employees. At times they do so spontaneously by giving an encouraging or a disapproving response to the behaviour of a group or individual; at other times they do so as part of a well-thought-out plan to bring about a particular change. Either way they ...