"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change" – Charles Darwin

Today, change can be added to death and taxes on Benjamin Franklin’s list of the inevitable. Industries prosper or collapse, technologies emerge or wither, markets flourish or contract, competitors emerge or fade, organisations merge or carve out, brands focus or diversify, campaigns are launched or withdrawn, values are created or enforced: change is everywhere. But, as Darwin observed, the ability to respond to these changes is the ultimate determinant of evolutionary success. Resisting change is futile but merely embracing it is insufficient – change must be initiated, inspired, incited.

"It’s not so much that we’re afraid of change or so in love with the old ways, but it’s that place in-between that we fear." – Marilyn Ferguson

Of course, change cannot be forced upon people; it is something that people force upon themselves. And once the path has been chosen, the successful organisation will not frogmarch their employees through the process but instead engage them in the transformational journey. This enormous task can only be accomplished by communication. It comes as no surprise, then, that communication consultants are heard at boardroom tables across all industries. They provide organisations with the means to navigate their way successfully along the transformational journey.

This Top Story focuses on aspects of change management and change communications that companies have to consider today. More thought leadership on the topic can be found in the new book ‘Change 2.0: Beyond Organisational Transformation’, which has just been published by Springer. Featuring contributions from Pleon and other expert organisations, the book is full of real-life examples of those that have succeeded – and failed – to make the necessary transitions.