Change Analysis

7 Pages 1667 Words

Introduction

Change can be a difficult task in any situation. To change an integral part of one’s belief system and cultural values is a tough task regardless of the situation. Trying to change a people’s attitude towards a custom can be accomplished, if the right kinds of techniques are being used. The people of this Peruvian village do not fully understand the reasons that Nelida and the Health Service are giving for them to change their ways, and therefore this makes it harder to get them to change their ways. A major issue that needs to be dealt with in this case is the education of the people of the village to show them the harm that is caused to them by drinking the unsanitary water and the benefits that would be gained by using the sanitized water. Another issue is that the belief system directly contradicts the method of intervention that Nelida is attempting to use to change the ways of the village people. By introducing either a new method of change, or a new type of intervention it may be easier to come to the desired result of sanitary water in the village.
Analysis
In many ways, Nelida’s approach to the situation at hand is not the best way of handling the circumstances. By applying Kotter’s 8 Steps to Change model to the case there is a noticeable difference in the way that Nelida is trying to change the behavior and actions of the villagers, and the way that the model indicates to establish a change in the type of water that is used in the village.
Establish a sense of urgency: Nelida failed to establish a sense of urgency in dealing with the sanitation of the water. The people of the village have no understanding of the concept of germs and what they can do to harm a person. The majority group of the village represented by Mrs. C expressed their problems with the issues of getting sick from something they cannot see. Mrs. A is already boiling her water because of custom. Mrs. B does not necessarily understa...