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Change is also divided into two categories namely radical and incremental changes depending on the
impact on firm operations. Accordingly, if change in a business affects certain departments, if the strategy,
values and mission of the business are not affected by this change, we define it as an incremental change.
These changes are the result of continuous development efforts, which can significantly increase operational
efficiency. Radical or strategic change affects the whole organization and redefines the business. It usually
results from major changes or technological breakthroughs in the environment in which the business
operates. It requires doing different things rather than doing things well. It also radically changes the business
operations and the way people do their works (Hodges & Julie 2016; Nadler & Tushman, 1990).

We can list the external factors causing change
in organizations as technology, globalization and
competition, economic conditions, political and
legal conditions and social trends.

Kotter argues that there are common steps taken by businesses that perform successful big change
processes. According to him, successful change process is possible by performing the following 8 steps
(Kotter, 1996; Kotter & Cohen, 2002):
1. Establishing a sense of urgency: A sense of urgency is necessary to mobilize people, to provide the
necessary cooperation and to express the need for change.
2. Creating the guiding coalition: After convincing people to take action for change, a team is formed
to guide the process of change with sufficient talent, authority and skill.
3. Developing a vision and a strategy: Guiding team develops a clear vision and strategy for change
with other employees. Thus, the direction and means of change are determined.
4. Communicating the change vision: The vision, tools, goals and paths of change are shared with all
actors in the organization. Thus, a common understanding about change is tried to create.
5. Empowering employees for broad based action: It means that all the factors that may prevent change
are hindered. The employees and managers should be encouraged to take risks and initiatives so
that all efforts of them contribute to the change. If necessary, they should get trainings.
6. Generating short term wins: The change process should be divided to short terms and the improvements
are measured in every term. The short-term achievements provide credibility, resource and morale for
the change process. It provides feedback on strategies and allows changes if necessary.
7. Consolidating gains and producing more change: Being committed to change is to try to realize the
bigger changes that will carry out the vision without declaring an early victory with the climate of
short-term gains.
8. Anchoring new approaches in the culture: At the end of the change process, new practices create a
new culture to ensure that the change is permanent. As a result of the process of change, new norms
and values are created if the success of change has been proven.

The decisions to be taken during the preparation stage and the actions to be taken are as follows:

Managerial Barriers:
• Not to examine the practices of other
businesses.
• Not to plan the quality process.
• Not to insist on the process of change.
• Not to allocate sufficient resources for
TQM applications.
• Not using effective quality measurement
techniques.
• Not to determine the type of training
required for each job and person.
• Changing business objectives frequently.
• Focusing on short-term business interests,
putting teamwork and quality improvement
efforts in the background.
• Ignoring subordinates’ participation.

Organizational Barriers:
• Poor written and verbal communication between hierarchical levels in the organization.
• Poor communication between departments.
• High employee turnover.
• Resistance to change.

The talents of the employees, their level of education, working time in the organization, the average age of the employees and their attitude towards change play an important role in the success of TQM applications

In the execution stage, all preparations have been
completed. The TQM practices start according to
plans prepared by the committee. At this stage, the
committee activates the teams, receives feedback
from customers and employees about the practices,
reorganizes the organizational structure according
to changing conditions or needs in practice and
rewards the successful teams. Now let’s examine
these stages respectively

Misunderstandings: In businesses where
employees are not adequately informed about the
causes and process of change, people may have
wrong ideas about the causes and consequences of
change.

Unplanned change refers to the change that is not planned before and which is implemented in order to adapt to sudden changes occurring in the internal or external environment (Koçel, 2011).

Change management refers to the conscious process of change in the organization. Change management;

• “refers to planning, organizing, leading, and controlling a change process in an organization to improve its performance and achieve the predetermined sets of strategic objectives (Ha, 2014)”.

• “is defined as the adoption of a new idea or behavior by an organization (Daft, 2010)”.

• “is the movement of an organization away from its present state and toward some desired future state to increase its effectiveness (Anınkan, 2018)”

The word of change is defined in a dictionary as follow (Lexico Dictionary, 2019):

• An act or process through which something becomes different.

• The substitution of one thing for another.

• An alteration or modification.

Change is divided into two categories namely planned and unplanned changes depending on the way how it emerges. Planned change means that managers have the initiative and plan the change process and implement the change in line with the needs determined. In planned change, the business decides the need for change by analyzing the information it collects from the environment and applies the change. Unplanned change refers to the change that is not planned before and which is implemented in order to adapt to sudden changes occurring in the internal or external environment.

Change is also divided into two categories namely radical and incremental changes depending on the impact on firm operations. Accordingly, if change in a business affects certain departments, if the strategy, values and mission of the business are not affected by this change, we define it as an incremental change. These changes are the result of continuous development efforts, which can significantly increase operational efficiency. Radical or strategic change affects the whole organization and redefines the business. It usually results from major changes or technological breakthroughs in the environment in which the business operates. It requires doing different things rather than doing things well. It also radically changes the business operations and the way people do their works.

Radical or strategic change affects the whole organization and redefines the business. It usually results from major changes or technological breakthroughs in the environment in which the business operates. It requires doing different things rather than doing things well. It also radically changes the business operations and the way people do their works.

Comparison of Incremental & Radical Change

Not every change process can be performed successfully as in the example above. According to McKinsey’s survey of nearly 3000 executives around the world, only one out of every three change processes is successful (Meaney & Pung, 2008). In the research, managers were asked what they would do differently if their firm carried out the change process again. Nearly half of the managers said that they would set clearer targets (48%), spend more time engaging the workforce (43%), spend more time developing and communicating a change story (%42).

We can list the external factors causing change in organizations as technology, globalization and competition, economic conditions, political and legal conditions and social trends. 

Internal factors causing change in businesses can be listed as innovation, organizational failure and expectations of employees.

Social trends that lead businesses to change are related to the change in people’s taste, preference and consumption habits. The direction of the change activities of the businesses will undoubtedly be shaped by the opinions and behaviors of the consumers. For example, as a result of increased environmental awareness, many businesses have transformed their products and production processes in an environmentally friendly way. The annual goals of many businesses now include environmental sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. An example of how social trends affect business activities took place in the tourism sector in 2019. The fact that people started arranging their own travels via the internet played an important role in the bankruptcy of Thomas Cook, a 178-year-old British travel company. Since tourists have arranged their accommodation, air tickets and transportation in the country of destination, the need for travel agents has greatly decreased.

The reasons for resistance to change can be listed as follows (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2017):

Self-interest: We all have various habits and routines in our lives. Regardless of scale, every process of change replaces something old with the new. New business processes, new tasks, new products, new power relations and so on. These modifications change the whole routine in the business. As a result of the change, employees and managers may be concerned about the risk of losing their jobs, wages, qualifications and status. Change creates uncertainty in businesses where communication is not healthy, and employees are not well informed. Uncertainty for the future influences employee motivation and business performance negatively.

Misunderstandings: In businesses where employees are not adequately informed about the causes and process of change, people may have wrong ideas about the causes and consequences of change.

Different Evaluations: One of the issues that cause resistance in the change process is that everyone has different evaluations about the reasons, results, benefits and costs aspects of change. Some employees may say that costs outweigh the benefits. One way to create a consensus about the change is to share healthy data-based analyses and future forecasts with employees.

Low Tolerance: We respond to the same events with different reactions. The process of change, which is fun and exciting for some of us, can be scary for others. This is due to our level of tolerance to change and the uncertainty it may bring.

The steps of using the resistance to contribute to the change process as a resource are as follows (Ford & Ford, 2009):

1. Boost Awareness: The issue of change is discussed with all actors in the organization so that the interest and awareness about the change is kept on the agenda.

2. Return to Purpose: All actors are included in the planning of the change process, so that the content, causes and objectives of the change are better understood by everyone.

3. Change the Change: The inclusion of other actors in the change process can help generate different ideas, eliminate any flaws in the change plan, or help to prepare more effective change plans. 

4. Build the Participation: The inclusion of other actors in the change process encourages people to become part of the process.

5. Past Experiences: Failed old practices of change can affect people’s attitudes and perceptions of the process of change. It can be the source of resistance to change. Old experiences should also be examined before the change process is planned.

The decisions to be taken during the preparation stage and the actions to be taken are as follows: Commitment by the top management, forming a steering committee, team building, total quality training for the steering committee, developing vision and guiding principles, setting broad strategic objectives, communication and publicity, identifying organizational strengths and weaknesses, identifying change advocates, and baseline employee and customer satisfaction.

In the execution stage the committee activates the teams, receives feedback from customers and employees about the practices, reorganizes the organizational structure according to changing conditions or needs in practice and rewards the successful teams.