Commitment to Change Model

Building commitment is an essential part of any transformation initiative. However, most organizations involved in large-scale change have not taken the time to understand what commitment is, what must be done to prepare for it, how it is developed, and how it can be lost. In order to provide a cognitive map of how commitment is generated, the “Change Management Continuum” 11 model (See Figure 1) is presented below as a traditional model for change 12.

Figure 1: Change Management Continuum

This model is presented as a grid with the vertical axis displaying the degree of support for change and the horizontal axis indicating the passage of time and amounts of effort it may take to involve people in a change. The model consists of three developmental phases,Inform, Educate and Commit, and several progressive commitment stages in each phase. For example, the Inform phase is comprised of three stages, Contact, Awareness and Understanding.

Each stage represented contains critical junctures where commitment to change can be threatened or advanced. For example, if you fail to build awareness of change, an individual or group may not support the change because of confusion regarding its purpose or intent. Similarly, if an effort is not made to generate a positive perception about the change, a negative perception will usually prevail resulting in reduced or no commitment to the change. This is how people “fall off” the commitment curve, represented by the downward arrows from the stages and the potential outcome, e.g., confusion, negative perception.

The three developmental phases are defined as follows:

• Inform Phase: This phase forms the foundation for later development of support for the change. It prepares people for changing their behavior. It consists mainly of making people aware of change and why it is occurring.
• Educate Phase: This phase marks a passage into an understanding of what the change means for them. This enables people to begin making decisions about whether to accept or reject the change. During this phase, the stakeholders begin to understand how the change will directly impact them and their routines; and, it will be necessary to present information about the change that promotes a positive perception.
• Commit Phase: The change is implemented during this phase. Everything up to this point has been preparation for the change. During this phase the change is acted upon and becomes part of everyday life for the stakeholders.

The stages of commitment are described below. These stages will vary based upon the magnitude of the ERP or CPI program change and the stakeholders involved. Some people progress quickly through the stages, while others are more resistant and take longer, requiring more support to fully commit to the future state vision. The seven commitment stages are:

1. Contact: The earliest encounter an individual or group has with the fact change is taking place (e.g., an announcement or memo).
2. Awareness: The individual or group has a working knowledge of the change.
3. Understanding: The individual or group demonstrates comprehension of the nature and intent of the change (i.e., what will be expected of them).
4. Positive Perception: The individual or group develops a positive view and disposition toward the change.
5. Adoption: The change has been used long enough to demonstrate its worth and impact on the organization.
6. Institutionalization: The change has durability, and continuity, and has been formally incorporated into the routine operating procedures of the organization.
7. Internalization: Organizational members are highly committed to the change because it is congruent with their personal interest, goals or value system.

Understanding the stages of commitment can help an ERP or CBPI program recognize where the program is on the change management continuum. It will also assist program managers to take the necessary steps to move an ERP or CBPI program through the stages identified in the Change Management Continuum.

1. Conner, D.R. (1992). Managing at the speed of change: How resilient managers succeed and prosper where others fail. New York: Villard Books., pp 147-160
2. Conners Partners. Retrieved on 9 May 2005 from: http://www.connerpartners.com/

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