Kurt Lewin, one of the early geniuses of the human dynamic movement, has developed a logical way of looking at change known as force-field analysis. Lewin argues that the forces supporting change and the forces opposing change converge in a “quasi-stationary equilibrium”.
The forces favouring change are known as ‘driving forces’ and the forces resisting change are called ‘restraining forces‘ by Lewin. According to him, equilibrium is present when a balance exists between these two forces. Flexibility and movement are also present to some extent. Hence, the equilibrium is only quasi-stationary.
If the driving and restraining forces are equal in magnitude, their will be status quo. However, if these two forces are unequal in magnitude, the quasi-static equilibrium will be disturbed.
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Change, according to Lewin, will occur only when forces are unequal in magnitude, restraining forces are reduced and driving forces are enhanced in magnitude. Organizational change requires finding a strategy that will best facilitate the shifting of the field of forces to achieve a new equilibrium.
Such a movement requires treating simultaneously a wide range of resisting forces, as well as calling into play the supporting forces. For changing the social equilibrium, according to Lewin, one has to consider the total social field, the groups and subgroups involved their relations, their value systems, etc.
The constellation of the social field as a whole has to be studied and reorganized so that social events flow differently. Based on force-field analysis, Lewin has developed a three-step strategy of planned change.
