Managing change

In the last chapter, the need for a cautious approach to continuous improvement and the potential pitfalls inherent in the process were emphasized. In particular, I pointed out: ■

the need to balance costs and benefits

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the dangers of excess enthusiasm

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the impact of employee resistance

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the possibility that product or service improvements may not be welcomed by the next customer in the value chain.

So, does that mean that the larger-scale operation of managing change is less fraught with those risks? Unfortunately, no. In fact, if continuous improvement demands careful handling, the need for care in managing revolutionary, rather than evolutionary, change is even greater.