Minor Change Management

In today’s fast-paced world, change is the only constant. To thrive in your career (and life), mastering the art of change is crucial. But here’s the catch: most change initiatives flop or miss the mark. So, what’s the secret to success? 

This minor dives into the exciting and dynamic world of change from various angles. It’s your chance to build the skills you need to tackle change in your future job. During this minor you will develop the competence to successfully plan, execute, and evaluate organisational change.  

You will develop this competence by participating in a ‘change experience’: an 18-week project during which you work with fellow students on a real-life case of an organisation, city, or industry that is on the eve of a major change. Your goal is to make real impact by making stakeholders enthusiastic for your change plans, to the extent that they want to carry your plans forward. 

More information:

Language of instruction

Although some project groups may be bilingual (English/Dutch), English is the primary language.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements for BUas students:

• Bachelor’s degree students in their third or fourth year
• Propaedeutic certificate obtained

Admission requirements for external students:

• Bachelor’s degree students in their third or fourth year
• Propaedeutic certificate obtained

Learning outcomes & competencies

After the minor, you will be able to: 

• Make an analysis of external developments that could influence the organisation.
• Set up a business model.
• Formulate strategic options based on the analysis.
• Analyse your own organisation in terms of its strengths and weaknesses.
• Formulate strategic objectives so that operational objectives can be derived from them.
• Diagnose complex situations using appropriate diagnostic models.
• Provide insight into how the current situation is maintained by various factors.
• Identify the core of the change issue.
• Properly substantiate the choice of a specific change strategy by considering the nature of the issue, the organisation’s change history, the change agents, and the energy and resistance of all those involved.
• Translate the chosen change strategy into an intervention plan comprising a variety of interventions aimed at the effective and efficient implementation of the change (including a training plan).
• Develop a communication plan that aligns with the chosen change strategy.
• Determine the financial, legal and organisational feasibility of the intended change.
• Write a resistance handling plan.

Topics and structure of the minor

You will participate in various workshops and meetings organised around the following five themes: Organisational Behaviour, Change Management, Project Management, Business Development and Strategy & Innovation. These topics are of great importance for successfully implementing change. Together, the five topics offer the right combination of practical and theoretical knowledge to help you with change projects.

Change (often) starts with the process of forming a strategy. Based on an analysis of your organisation and the wider environment, you can develop a vision for the future. You can use the familiar SWOT analysis, but from a broader perspective, and familiarise yourself with the Business Model Canvas. This model describes how an organisation creates, delivers and retains value.  

Change management is central to this minor. How can you shape the change process professionally? The need for change often arises from an organisation’s strategic plan. What is the desired change? Which change strategy offers the best chance of achieving this? What interventions ensure this happens? We also look at forms of resistance, how to recognise them, and effective strategies for dealing with them.

During the minor, you will also develop your personal competencies and complete an individual assignment. It is your responsibility to apply the knowledge gained from the workshops and individual assignments to your experience of change.

Teaching & assessment

During this minor different teaching methods will be implemented:

• Workshops
• Lectures
• Discussion groups
• Learning communities
• Project work

Students will typically spend three days on campus and two days working on the Change Experience project, either on campus or elsewhere.

The assessment consists of an individual assignment, a group report, a presentation and an individual reflection.

Required study material

Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard Business School Publishing. ISBN: 9781422186435.

Additional costs

Only extra costs for mandatory reading materials apply.

Minor coordinator

Karolien Kampstra: [email protected]