Hans Vermaak biography and books

Article by: Vincent van Vliet

Last update: April 2, 2025

Hans Vermaak (1961) is an adviser, lecturer and researcher. Hans Vermaak is associate partner at Twynstra Gudde consultancy, a colleague of Léon de Caluwé and is known for his contribution on the approach of Thinking in Colors.

Biography Hans Vermaak

The consultancy work of Hans focuses on challenges organizational changes with complex (social) issues as a recurrent theme.

His six-year research study into complex tasks in organizations brought him a cum laude doctorate (Ph.D.) from the University of Amsterdam and a publication of his research in book form. This book Enjoying Tough Issues received the Best-book-of-the-year 2009 award from the Dutch Association of Management Consultancy Firms.

As a lecturer, Hans professionalizes innovators and he provides shadow advice. He is associate partner at Sioo where he co-designs the master’s degree programme ‘Advanced Change Methodologies’.

And he is a visiting professor at the Copenhagen Business School (CBS/Simi) in Denmark. Hans Vermaak regularly publishes articles using supporting research about change management, systems thinking and learning processes.

Theory of Thinking in Colors

Toghter with a old and passed away colleague of Léon de Caluwé, he co-developed the theory and test on the change management approach of Thinking in Colors.

Publications and books by Hans Vermaak et al.

2021. Meervoudigheid voor beginners en gevorderden: de veranderkleuren. Essenties van Verandermanagement. Een kleine canon van veranderkundige benaderingen. Amsterdam: Boom (in druk).
2019. Leren veranderen. Kennis voor veranderaars in opleiding en praktijk.
2018. Perspectieven op veranderen. Koninklijke Boom uitgevers.
2018. The colors of change revisited: situating and describing the theory and its practical applications. In Research in organizational change and development (pp. 167-216). Emerald Publishing Limited.
2018. Collaborative transformation: The art of making international trade more sustainable. IDH, The Sustainable Trade Initiative.
2017. Iedereen verandert. Nu wij nog. Deventer: Vakmedianet.
2017. Four contexts of action research: Crossing boundaries for productive interplay. IJAR–International Journal of Action Research, 13(1), 5-6.
2017. Veranderen van maatschappelijke organisaties: praktische concepten en inspirerende praktijkverhalen. Business Contact.
2015. Plezier beleven aan taaie vraagstukken: werkingsmechanismen van vernieuwing en weerbastigheid. 2de druk. Vakmedianet.
2012. Facilitating local ownership through paradoxical interventions. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science.
2011. Leren veranderen: een handboek voor de veranderkundige. Vakmedianet Management.
2010. Leren in organisaties: als leren het antwoord is, wat is dan de vraag? Vakmedianet Management.
2009. Enjoying tough issues: Dynamics of innovation and stagnation. Deventer, Netherlands: Kluwer.
2008. Thinking in colors – on video. Available at: https://hansvermaak.com/en/publicaties/thinking-in-colors-on-video/
2004. Change Paradigms: An Overview. Organization Development Journal,from VU.nl
2004. Thinking about change: Complexity and multiplicity in change processes. In J. Boonstra (Ed), Dynamics in Organizational Change and Learning (Series Handbooks in the Psychology of Management in Organizations) (pp.197-226). Chicester (UK): Wiley.
2004. Comparing psychotherapists’ and change agents’ approaches to change. In A. Buono (Ed.), Creative Consulting: Innovative Perspectives on Management Consulting. Research in Management Consulting (vol. 4) (pp. 267-302).Greenwich (CT): Information A
ge Publishing.
2003. Learning to change. A guide for organizational change agents. Sage Publications, Inc.
1999. Conspiring fruitfully with professionals: New management roles for professional organizations. Management Decision, 37(1), 29-44.
1999. At least 10 islands of learning: In search of corporate learning. Amersfoort: Twynstra
1986. A potential method for determination of gaseous and particulate lead in exhaust gas by microwave induced airplasma emission spectrometry and Zeeman furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Canadian Journal of Spectroscopy, 31(4), 95-99.

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Original publication date: 01/06/2012 | Last update: 04/02/2025

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Article by:

Vincent van Vliet

Vincent van Vliet is co-founder and responsible for the content and release management. Together with the team Vincent sets the strategy and manages the content planning, go-to-market, customer experience and corporate development aspects of the company.