Driving Forces in a Nutshell
Driving forces are the factors that push a business towards change, such as new technology, competitors, laws or falling performance. They come from Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis, where they are weighed against restraining forces. Change goes ahead when the total strength of the driving forces beats the total strength of the restraining forces.
Driving Forces Definition
Driving forces are the factors that push a business towards change. They come from Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis. Lewin argued that every business sits between two sets of forces: those pushing for change and those resisting it. A business never changes by accident. Pressure builds until standing still costs more than moving.
Why did Netflix stop posting DVDs and start streaming? Something pushed it. Driving forces can be internal, such as new managers or falling staff morale, or external, such as new technology, competitors and laws. Each force can be scored, often from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong), and compared with the restraining forces that push back, such as fear of job losses, cost and old habits.
Think of HMV. Streaming and Spotify were strong external pressures. The firm failed to respond fast enough and fell into administration more than once. Strong pressures ignored become a threat. If the total driving strength beats the total restraining strength, change goes ahead.
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Driving Forces Characteristics/Features
- Internal or external. New managers and falling staff morale come from inside. New technology, competitors and laws come from outside.
- Measurable strength. Each force can be scored, often from 1 (weak) to 5 (strong).
- Opposed by restraining forces. Fear of job losses, cost and old habits push back.
- Change happens when drivers win. If total driving strength beats total restraining strength, change goes ahead.
- Part of Force Field Analysis. They are one half of Lewin’s model.
- Judgements, not formulas. Scores reflect opinion, so they should be tested against the situation.
Examples of Driving Forces
Netflix moved from posting DVDs to streaming because technology and customer expectations pushed it. Standing still would have cost more than changing.
HMV faced the strong external pressure of streaming and Spotify. The firm failed to respond fast enough and fell into administration more than once, showing the danger of ignoring a strong driving force.
Lego faced near-collapse in the early 2000s. Heavy losses forced it to cut product lines and refocus on its core bricks, and profits recovered.
Advantages & Disadvantages of Driving Forces
Advantages
Competitiveness
New technology drives change. Costs fall. The firm can cut prices and win market share. Rivals that do not change lose customers. The positive effect is a stronger market position.
Survival
Lego faced near-collapse in the early 2000s. Pressure forced it to cut product lines. Focus returned, so profits recovered. The business lasted because it acted. The positive effect is long-term survival.
Innovation
Customer demand for healthier food pushes new products. New products open niche markets, so revenue grows. The brand stays relevant. The positive effect is new sources of income.
Efficiency
Pressure to cut waste leads to better systems. Capacity utilisation rises. Unit costs fall, which raises margins. The positive effect is higher profit per unit.
Legal compliance
New laws force change. The firm avoids fines, which protects cash flow and reputation. Customers trust a compliant business. The positive effect is lower risk.
Motivation
Staff see a clear direction. Morale rises. Productivity improves, so output per worker increases. The positive effect is a more engaged workforce.
Disadvantages
High cost
New systems need investment. Cash flow tightens, which may force borrowing and interest payments. Profit falls in the short term. The negative effect is financial strain.
Staff resistance
Workers fear job losses. Morale falls. Absence rises, so productivity drops. The negative effect is slower change and lost output.
Short-term disruption
Training takes time. Output falls during the switch, so orders may be late. Customers may complain. The negative effect is lost sales while the change beds in.
Loss of customers
Changes can alienate loyal buyers. Sales fall, which hits revenue. Winning them back is costly. The negative effect is damaged loyalty.
Wrong direction
A strong pressure may be a passing trend. The firm invests heavily, then demand fades, so money is wasted. The negative effect is a costly mistake.
Management overload
Leaders focus on change. Daily operations suffer, so quality may slip. Other projects stall. The negative effect is neglected core business.
Applying Lewin’s Force Field Analysis
Lewin’s model works in four steps. First, describe the proposed change. Second, list the forces driving it and those restraining it. Third, score each force from 1 to 5. Fourth, add the totals and compare. Net force for change = total driving forces − total restraining forces. A positive result means change is likely.
Worked example. A café plans card-only payments. Drivers: speed (4) and lower cash-handling costs (3), a total of 7. Restrainers: older customers (3) and card fees (2), a total of 5. Drivers win by 7 − 5 = 2, so change is likely. Managers can also weaken restraining forces rather than adding drivers. Consultation and training often reduce resistance cheaply.
Common Mistakes
Adding drivers and restrainers together, subtracting the wrong way round, treating scores as exact facts and forgetting to say what the result means in words.
Memory Trick
“Drivers minus restrainers: positive means go.”
Evaluating the Usefulness of Driving Forces
The scores in Force Field Analysis are judgements, not formulas, which is why it is a strong evaluation tool. Test it with “it depends on” factors: competition, the market, the objective and the situation.
Competition
If rivals already changed, delay is risky. The cost of doing nothing becomes a driving force in itself.
The market
Are customers really demanding this, or is it a fad? A strong pressure may be a passing trend, so the firm could invest and then see demand fade.
The objective
Does the change support growth, survival or profit? A survival objective makes strong driving forces harder to ignore.
The situation
Can the firm afford it now? Managers can also weaken restraining forces rather than adding drivers, since consultation and training often reduce resistance cheaply. This creates a decisive, justified judgement.
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Practice Exam-Style Multiple Choice Questions for Driving Forces
Q1 What are driving forces?
Show the answer
Correct answer: B. Driving forces push a business towards change.
Q2 Whose model includes driving and restraining forces?
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Correct answer: C. Kurt Lewin’s Force Field Analysis weighs driving against restraining forces.
Q3 Drivers total 7 and restrainers total 5. What is the net force for change?
Show the answer
Correct answer: B. 7 − 5 = 2, so drivers win and change is likely.
Q4 Which is an external driving force?
Show the answer
Correct answer: C. New laws come from outside the business.
Practice GCSE Exam-Style Questions for Driving Forces with a Case Study
Read the following case study, then answer the questions below.
Bloom & Bake is a family bakery in Bristol. Supermarkets now sell cheap artisan bread. Customers ask for online ordering. The owner, Nina, scores the driving forces at 9 and the restraining forces at 6.
- Calculate the net force for change.2 marks
- Explain one driving force affecting Bloom & Bake.3 marks
- Analyse one benefit of online ordering for Bloom & Bake.6 marks
- Should Nina introduce online ordering? Justify your answer.12 marks
Answer to question 1: 9 − 6 = 3, so the driving forces win by 3.
Tip: always end long answers with a clear decision and the key factor it depends on.
Practice A-Level Exam-Style Questions for Driving Forces with a Case Study
Read the following case study, then answer the questions below.
Bramley Scooters plc makes petrol scooters. Government emissions rules are tightening. Rivals launched electric models last year. Staff unions fear factory retraining. Driving forces total 14 and restraining forces total 11.
- Calculate the restraining forces as a percentage of the driving forces.3 marks
- Explain how one external force may push Bramley to change.4 marks
- Analyse the impact of staff resistance on Bramley.9 marks
- To what extent should Bramley switch fully to electric scooters?16 marks
- Evaluate whether Force Field Analysis is useful for managers planning major change.20 marks
Answer to question 1: 11 ÷ 14 × 100 = 78.6%, so the restraining forces are about 79% as strong as the driving forces.
Strong answers weigh how quickly the rules and rivals are moving against the cost and union opposition, and state what the judgement depends on.
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