KURT LEWINS CHANGE

THEORY
By: Mandeep Chahal & Arvinder Khaira

Force Field Analysis: Driving Forces

Driving Forces are forces that push in a direction
that causes change to occur.
They cause a shift in the equilibrium towards
change.
i.e. A married couple who has to get ready for a
party, the husband is on the couch watching the
football game. The wife encourages her
husband to get ready because there is going to
be free beer at the party. The husband starts to
get ready in a hurry. The driving forces are: The
wife encouraging the husband & The incentive of
free alcohol at the party.

DRIVING FORCE

Force Field Analysis: Restraining Forces

Restraining forces are forces that counter driving
forces. They oppose change.
Restraining forces cause a shift in the equilibrium
which opposes change
i.e.In the case of the husband and wife getting
ready for the party. Present at the party is going
to be the husbands cousin whom he despises.
The cousin and the husband have not got along
for many years and if the husband was to go,
there surely would be a fight. The husband also
finds out that the beer is non-alcoholic.

RESTRAINING FORCES

Force Field Analysis: Equilibrium

Equilibrium is a state of being where
driving forces equal restraining forces and
no change occurs
Equilibrium can be raised or lowered by
changes that occur between the driving
and restraining forces

Kurt Lewins Change Theory

Consists of three distinct and vital stages:
Unfreezing

Moving to a new level or Changing

Refreezing

UNFREEZING

Unfreezing
Involves finding a method of
making it possible for people
to let go of an old pattern that
was counterproductive in
some way

MOVING TO A NEW
LEVEL

Moving to a new level

Involves a process of change
in thoughts, feeling, behavior,
or all three, that is in some
way more liberating or more
productive

REFREEZING

Refreezing
Is establishing the change as a
new habit, so that it now becomes
the standard operating
procedure. Without this stage of
refreezing, it is easy to backslide
into the old ways.

REFERENCES
Schein, E.H. (1995). Kurt Lewins Change Theory in the Field and in the
Classroom: Notes toward a model of managed learning. Working
Paper 3821. Available from: (pdf) https://dspace.mit.edu/
bitstream/1721.1 /2576/1/swp-3821-32871445.pdf.