Patrocinado por:
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3393-1584
Este artículo reexamina críticamente el modelo de ocho pasos de John Kotter para liderar el cambio organizacional, analizando su relevancia continua y sus limitaciones en el contexto del entorno empresarial actual, caracterizado por su dinamismo y orientación tecnológica. Aunque el marco de Kotter se ha convertido en una referencia fundamental en la formación de liderazgo y en la práctica de la gestión del cambio, su enfoque lineal y jerárquico enfrenta dificultades cuando se aplica a procesos de transformación continua que requieren agilidad, coordinación interfuncional y toma de decisiones descentralizada. Al contrastar el modelo de Kotter con enfoques contemporáneos como Agile, Lean y el liderazgo adaptativo, el análisis pone de relieve las áreas en las que dicho marco debe evolucionar para seguir siendo eficaz. El artículo se apoya tanto en la literatura académica como en marcos aplicados desarrollados por grandes firmas de consultoría para examinar cómo los principios de Kotter han sido incorporados, adaptados y ampliados en la práctica. Asimismo, explora las intersecciones teóricas entre el énfasis de Kotter en el liderazgo y paradigmas modernos como el liderazgo servicial, transformacional y adaptativo, argumentando que estos enfoques enriquecen el modelo original al promover la autoridad distribuida, el aprendizaje continuo y la capacidad de respuesta sistémica. Desde esta perspectiva actualizada, el estudio propone una visión híbrida del liderazgo del cambio que integra el proceso estructurado de Kotter con estrategias flexibles y centradas en las personas, con el fin de abordar las realidades actuales de la transformación empresarial. El resultado es una perspectiva matizada sobre cómo las organizaciones pueden lograr un cambio sostenible al equilibrar la disciplina estratégica con la capacidad de adaptación, preservando las fortalezas de la visión de Kotter y, al mismo tiempo, mejorando su aplicabilidad práctica.
Abumuhor, I. (2025). Leading through change: Strategies for adapting and overcoming challenges. Clinics in Laboratory Medicine. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cll.2025.04.012
Accenture. (2024). Change reinvented: A new blueprint for continuous, meaningful, successful change. https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/accenture-com/document-2/Accenture-Change-Reinvented-Report.pdf
Appelbaum, S. H., Habashy, S., Malo, J.-L., & Shafiq, H. (2012). Back to the future: Revisiting Kotter’s 1996 change model. Journal of Management Development, 31(8), 764–782. https://doi.org/10.1108/02621711211253231
Azagury, J., & Close, K. (2024). Change reinvented: How organizations can rethink transformation for lasting impact. Accenture. https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/consulting/change-reinvented
Basford, T., & Schaninger, B. (2016). The four building blocks of change. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/the-four-building-blocks--of-change
Bass, B. M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. The Free Press.
Boston Consulting Group. (n.d.). Culture and change management. https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/organization-strategy/culture-change-management
Burnes, B. (2017). Managing change (7th Ed.). Pearson.
Burns, J. M. (2010). Leadership. Harper. (Original work published 1978)
By, R. T. (2005). Organisational change management: A critical review. Journal of Change Management, 5(4), 369–380. https://doi.org/10.1080/14697010500359250
Carreño, A. M. (2024). An analytical review of John Kotter's change leadership framework: A modern approach to sustainable organizational transformation [Working paper]. SSRN. https://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5044428
Deloitte. (2021). Change management playbook: Your key tools for driving change in a digital world. https://www.deloitte.com/content/dam/assets-zone2/be/en/docs/industries/government-public-services/2023/deloitte-belgium-change-management-playbook.pdf
Ellmer, K., Dhar, J., Weinstein, S., Chansler, C., Catchlove, P., & Currier, C. (2024). How to create a transformation that lasts. Boston Consulting Group. https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/how-to-create-a-transformation-that-lasts
Eva, N., Robin, M., Sendjaya, S., van Dierendonck, D., & Liden, R. C. (2019). Servant leadership: A systematic review and call for future research. The Leadership Quarterly, 30(1), 111–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2018.07.004
Fayol, H. (2013). General and industrial management. Martino Fine Books. (Original work published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Paris, 1916; translated and republished by IEEE, 1960)
Flynn, S. I. (2024). Transformational and transactional leadership. EBSCO Research Starters. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/transformational-and-transactional-leadership
Greenleaf, R. K. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th anniversary ed.). Paulist Press. (Original work published 1977)
Heifetz, R. A. (1998). Leadership without easy answers. Harvard University Press.
Heifetz, R. A., & Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading. Harvard Business Review Press.
Hiatt, J. M. (2006). ADKAR: A model for change in business, government, and our community. Prosci Learning Center Publications.
Hiatt, J., & Creasey, T. (2012). Change management: The people side of change (2nd ed.). Prosci Learning Center Publications.
Keller, S., & Schaninger, B. (2020). How do we manage the change journey? McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/how-do-we-manage-the-change-journey
Khattak, S. I., Ali, M. I., Khan, M. A., & Kakar, A. S. (2025). Does digital leadership capability, knowledge management capability, and organizational agility foster digital transformation in China? A time-lagged survey-based assessment in digital transformation projects. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management, 76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jengtecman.2025.101873
Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1995/05/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail-2
Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Harvard Business School Press.
Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change, With a new preface by the author. Harvard Business Review Press.
Kotter, J. P., Akhtar, V., & Gupta, G. (2021). Change: How organizations achieve hard-to-imagine results in uncertain and volatile times. Wiley.
Koudriachov, C., Tam, C., & Aparicio, M. (2025). Success with Agile Project Management: Looking back and into the future. Journal of Systems and Software, 226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jss.2025.112428
Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method and reality in social science; Social equilibria and social change. Human Relations, 1(1), 5-41. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872674700100103
Litre, P., & Murphy, K. (2013). Results Delivery: Managing the highs and lows of change. Bain & Company. https://www.bain.com/insights/results-delivery-managing-the-highs-and-lows-of-change/
Litre, P., Michels, D., Hindshaw, I., & Ghosh, P. (2018). Results Delivery®: Busting three common myths of change management. Bain & Company. https://www.bain.com/insights/results-delivery-busting-3-common-change-management-myths/
Mankins, M., & Litre, P. (2024). Transformations that work: Lessons from companies that are defying the odds. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2024/05/transformations-that-work
Michels, D. (2022). There are two ways to manage organizational change: One is easy, the other is better. Bain & Company. https://www.bain.com/insights/there-are-two-ways-to-manage-organizational-change-one-is-easy-the-other-is-better-infographic/
Mouazen, A. M., Hernández-Lara, A. B., Abdallah, F., Ramadan, M., Chahine, J., Baydoun, H., & Bou Zakhem, N. (2024). Transformational and transactional leaders and their role in implementing the Kotter change management model ensuring sustainable change: An empirical study. Sustainability, 16(1), 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010016
Porter, M. E. (2004). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance (Reprint ed.). Free Press. (Original work published 1985)
Senge, P. M. (1990). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. Doubleday.
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization (Revised and updated ed.). Doubleday.
Taylor, F. W. (2013). The principles of scientific management. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. (Original work published by Harper Brothers, 1911)
Vale, S. L., Said, M., Smith, J., Joshi, P., & Loh, R. K. S. (2022). Welcome back Kotter - Developing a National Allergy Strategy for Australia. World Allergy Organization Journal, 15(11), Article 100706. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.waojou.2022.100706
Womack, J. P., & Jones, D. T. (2003). Lean thinking: Banish waste and create wealth in your corporation (Rev. and updated ed.). Free Press.
Yi, Z. (2025). Chapter two - Change management models and approaches. In Change management in information organizations (pp. 25–92). Chandos Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-91237-2.00009-9
2025-07-10
Nuevo número publicado
Patrocinado por:
English
Português
