ABSTRACT
The three-step process of unfreezing, moving and refreezing is a pithy summary of a far-reaching and perhaps most difficult part of change management. The change process begins well before a specific project actually sees the light of day. Its genesis is to be seen in relationships, communications, human resource management, management styles, structures, and the way strategy is formulated. A healthy organization is the outcome ensured by going through the unfreezing process before a change project is started. Unfreezing the organization should be a matter of persuasion rather than compulsion, and ultimately of winning consent and imbuing conviction of the need for, and value of, change. Setting attainable objectives as part of the strategy is a confidence-building measure for the unfreezing stage and clearly has a practical value in introducing the change itself. Havelock et al's work was refined in the Social Interaction model (SI) which places a heavy reliance on social relationships, personal contacts and group membership.
