OverviewThroughout the history of organizational literature, many scholars have suggested that change initiatives must originate at the leadership level to be successful (Bennis, 1999). However, history has shown that most change initiatives fail, especially when promoted by top management (King & Peterson, 2007). This paper will examine why this dichotomy exists, what the role of top management should be in a change program, and how top managers can use key leverage points to increase their chances of success in implementing change. The Evolution of Organizations and Its Impact on Change The invention of modern management by theorists such as Frederick Taylor was founded at a time when many manufacturing organizations existed in the United States. These companies sought semi-skilled employees, such as production line workers, who could perform systematized tasks that required little brain power and training (Denning, 2010). The prevalence of manufacturing organizations gave rise to efficiency-focused theories where operations and changes within organizations could be more easily planned and controlled (Shafritz, Ott, & Jang, 2011). These theories suggested that it is the job of top management to create, identify, and implement changes that need to occur within an organization (Robbins & Judge, 2010). In the twentieth century, Taylor's management approach was less effective for services. organizations that require skilled employees (Denning, 2010). Management and change approaches used during the manufacturing boom are less successful in an era where the global environment and workforce are changing (Denning, 2010). Steven Denning (2010), author of The Leader's Guide to……half of the article……Robbins, S.P., & Judge, T.A. (2010). Essentials of organizational behavior (10th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.Shafritz, JM, Ott, JS, Jang, YS (2011), Classics of Organization Theory. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning. Shanker, M. & Sayeed, O. (2012). Role of transformational leaders as change agents: Harnessing organizational climate effects. Indian Journal of Industrial Relations, 47(3), 470-484.Simon, S.S. (2011). The essential elements of employee engagement in organizations. Journal of Contemporary Research in Management, 6(1), 63-72. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/920826469?accountid=11243Sirkin, H.L., Keenan, P., Jackson, A., (2005). The difficult side of management. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publications. Retrieved from: http://www.changeleadershipgroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HardSideChangeMgmt.pdf