60 Years of change management: Reflections and foresights

An analysis of articles in the Dutch Journal for Management and Organization over the past twenty-five years shows that thinking about change management has changed since its origin in the 1960s. After a phase of planned change by experts, more attention is paid to developing people and organizations by facilitators. At the beginning of this century, the focus shifts to learning to change, led by management, and supported by consultants. In this learning perspective on organizational change, the principles of planned change are still present. The three periods in change management have provided valuable cornerstones for organizational change, raising the question of whether current change management expertise and practice is sufficient for a future that is increasingly unpredictable.