Kotter’s Eight-Stage Model of Transformational Change

According to Kotter’s Eight-Stage Model of Transformational Change it is important to convey a clear vision on which the change is based (Palmer, Dunford & Buchanan 2016). BBC's top management should therefore communicate clearly and openly what should be achieved with the introduction of Producer Choice. This could include reducing bureaucracy, increasing efficiency and transparency as well as comparability with external providers.                        In consideration of the DICE model developed by the Boston Consulting Group, four aspects – duration, integrity, commitment and effort – are decisive for the success of change processes (Palmer, Dunford & Buchanan 2016). When introducing Producer Choice, the time frame between planning and implementation and the commitment of the employees are of particular importance. Due to the change from a centralized to a decentralized structure, the complexity of BBC increased considerably, so that I think the preparation phase of Producer Choice was with 1 year and 4 months relatively short.                                                 The importance of involving employees in the change process is emphasized in the McKinsey Checklist for Successful Transformational Change (Palmer, Dunford & Buchanan 2016). However, the introduction of Producer Choice was carried out using a top-down approach so that the resistance of the employees is understandable. Given the low willingness to change and the concerns expressed about the rapid introduction of producer choice, BBC management should take action to reduce resistance rather than ruthlessly implement the change process. This could be achieved, for example, through the transparent presentation of significant change steps in the form of a 'road map', which is an element of the checklist of the UK Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (Palmer, Dunford & Buchanan 2016). Such a road map contains all important steps of the change from the vision through the planning to the implementation phase and gives an overview of the change process. In addition, the offer of training should give all employees the opportunity to familiarize themselves with their new tasks. Previously, training programs were only intended for a fraction of employees. Another aspect that also contributed to the failure of Producer Choice is the pilot phase which was only carried out with 72 managers. So Producer Choice has not been properly tested. In addition, a number of implementation problems were already apparent in the pilot phase, which should have been resolved before the implementation of Producer Choice.