The Change Agent

Lecture 09

Change Agent

An individual who influences clients’ innovation-

decisions in a direction deemed desirable by a

change agency.

A change agent usually seeks to secure the adoption of new

ideas, but he or she may also attempt to slow the

diffusion process and prevent the adoption of certain

innovations with undesirable effects.

Technical Terms

Intervention

Targeting

Tailoring

Effectiveness

Uniqueness

Intervention

Actions with a coherent of objective to bring about

behavioral change in order to produce

identifiable outcomes.

Targeting

The process of customizing the design and delivery

of a communication program based on the

characteristics of an intended audience.

Tailoring

A communication message that is directed to an

individual, who represents a very

homogeneous audience.

Effectiveness

The degree to which an intervention program

fulfills its objectives.

Uniqueness

The degree to which an audience of relatively

homophilous individuals differs from the larger

population of which it is part.

Examples of Change Agent

Teachers

Consultants

Public health workers

Agricultural extension agents

Development workers

Salepeople

Change Agents as Linkers

Change agents provide a communication link

between a resource system with some kind of

communication link between a resource

system with some kind of expertise and a

client system.

Change Agents as Linkers

Change agents facilitate the flow of innovation from

a change agency to an audience of clients.

Sequence of Change Agent Roles

1. To develop a need for change. A change agent often

initially helps clients become aware of the need to

alter their behavior.

2. To establish an information exchange relationship.

Once a need for change is created, a change agent

must develop rapport with his or her clients.

Sequence of Change Agent Roles

3. To diagnose problems. The change agent is

responsible for analyzing clients’ problems in

order to determine why existing alternatives do

not meet their needs.

Sequence of Change Agent Roles

4. To create an intention to change in the client. After

a change agent explores various avenues of

action that clients might take to achieve their

goals, the change agent seeks to motivate their

interests in the innovation.

Sequence of Change Agent Roles

5. To translate an intention into action. A change

agent seeks to influence clients’ behavior

change in accordance with recommendations

based on the clients’ needs.

Sequence of Change Agent Roles

6. To stabilize adoption and prevent discontinuance.

Change agents may effectively stabilize new

behavior through reinforcing messages to

clients who have adopted, thus helping to

“freeze” the new behavior.

Sequence of Change Agent Roles

7. To achieve a terminal relationship. The change

agent seeks to shift the clients from a

position of reliance on the change agent to

one of self-reliance.