Empirical Research

Abstract

In the following chapters the results of the empirical research are outlined. To begin with, the reasons why the surveyed companies had to change are analysed (in case they had to change). Thereafter, success and failure of these change projects are evaluated. The focus of the analysis is on the third chapter concerning critical success factors of change management. The most significant critical success factors for SMEs in each of the three different phases -- unfreezing, moving as well as refreezing -- are presented and discussed. In the fourth chapter, factors such as `support and commitment of the management', `communication', `participation' as well as `financial and other rewards' influencing the outcome of a change project in more than one phase are compared and the distribution in the different phases is evaluated.