7012EHR | Organizational Change Assignment Help
Part A
Question 1
Forces for Change
- The management of the organization wants to initiate a change management process. Moreover, the company is willing to hire qualified and able employees who can drive productivity and improve results. The plant manager at the organization as well as the HR director and floor supervisor are in favor of implementing change.
- The organization has had previous experiences with initiating small-scale change management projects. This implies that the company is prepared to initiate change and this is not a new concept for them. According to a research conducted by Stuffers and Mordant-Dols (2015), professionals’ willingness to change is one of the positive forces for successfully implementing changes within an organization.
- The company acknowledges the importance of training staff before they are allowed to engage and factory activities. all employees are expected to complete a 12-week training course before they are permitted to work on the factory floor.
Resistance to Change
- Some long-standing employees at the organization are resistant to change and do not wish to see major changes being implemented at the organization. This indicates that the entire organization is not united to witness change and does not share similar views about the benefits of change.
- The work environment at the plant is not compliant with environmental protocols as there are no air conditioning units which causes the temperature to become too hot and there are some safety concerns which exist on the factory floor.
- Communication between the management and the employees is poor as most of the employees are not fluent in English and therefore may not be able to are you still concerns or take their feedback the management.
The strategy which will be used to reduce the constraining forces is that of implementing wellness interventions at the organization which can help improve the well-being of employees. Moreover, the supporting forces will be further built by understanding the targets of change and applying the change management strategy on an individual and organizational level. The supporting forces should therefore be leveraged upon to maximize the success of the change management intervention.
Question 2
Long standing employees at the organization are exhibiting negative change attitudes and showing resistance to change. As these employees have worked in the organization for a significant time, they may feel that change would lead to a loss of control and may also raise concerns about future competence. In this situation the effective management strategy that managers should exercise is to provide necessary resources and platforms such as discussion forums to highlight the importance of change, communicate the vision and share information about how it can be beneficial for employees and the organization (Kotter, 1995). the managers should also reward the supportive behavior of those employees who are in favor of change, this would encourage employees who are against change to decrease their level of resistance.
Some employees at the organization exhibit an attitude of change readiness as they are interested in witnessing changes to work processes to make them simpler and explore ways of integrating new staff members easily into existing teams. there is a moderate level of change readiness attitude at the organization. The strategy which could be used to build on this change attitude in the organization is to inspire followers by appealing to their emotions and increasing their commitment to improvement led by change (Keating et al., 1999). This is a tool utilized by transformational leaders through the use of positive verbal communication. Additionally, managers should support the risk-taking behavior of such employees and establish a work environment where innovation and growth are supported. These strategies will also make employees more accepting of change in the future.
Question 3
Considering the present situation of the organization, the high level of turnover is an alarming issue which may cause the front to go out of business soon. This situation calls for a dictatorial transformation because radical change is critical for the fulfillment of the organization’s corporate objectives and its continuation. Even though there is some degree of support for radical change within the firm there are some long-standing employees who believe that these changes will not be welcomed. As members of the management understand the importance of introducing change the most appropriate style of chain leadership which can be applied in the situation is directive leadership.
This type of style utilizes managerial authority to provide direction to employees and help enforce decisions which can improve the future prospects of the organization and implement change effectively. Directive leaders essentially serve as captains and this approach is established to ensure compliance with the changes that have been decided by the management (Arnold and Loughlin, 2013). At present the company needs to redefine certain complex processes and make them simple while improving the internal safety structures and protocols of the firm which may be creating an unproductive environment for employees. these changes can be led by managers who are authoritative and task-oriented why being technically trained to address any issues or problems which may arise during the change management process. The systematic approach will help Dixie Weaving Inc. streamline its processes and reach a sustainable level of turnover while addressing employee concerns and creating a safe work environment.
Question 4
Institutionalization of change occurs when a specific change implemented in the organization is maintained for a specific and suitable period of time. Once implemented changes have been deemed to be effective it is critical to institutionalize them so that they may continue to prevail in the long run. The model of Cummings and Worley (2009) can be applied to inform decision-making by understanding organizational characteristics. As the employees are not a part of a to unionized environment and the environment is stable at the company with reference to technology it can be stated that there is a high level of congruence which means that change management interventions can be supported in the company.
The management should note that in order to institutionalize change there needs to be a certain degree of internal support within the firm in order to facilitate the change process. This may take place by hiring an internal consultant once the external consultants are able to implement the organizational change process (Beckert, 1999). This will ensure the sustainability and institutionalization of change by addressing concerns that may arise once change has been implemented. Another part of the institutionalization process is to develop the commitment of employees to adhere to the change. By initiating a two-way and open communication process, employees should be encouraged to exhibit behavioral changes and directly involve themselves in the process of change as it continues to exist in the organization (Proctor and Doukakis, 2003). Additionally, support from the management is also important during this process to make sure that these commitment levels are maintained. Managers should also monitor any deviations from the change management intervention. For example, if an employee on the floor does not comply with a new security protocol then he or she should be informed by the concerned line manager to follow the protocol and comply with the company’s standards and procedures.
Part B
Question 1
Organizational capability is defined as the overall or collective ability that members of an organization possess to deliver improved and enhanced performance. The concept of capabilities is collective rather than individualistic which means that capabilities exist across the organization.
Various types of models define capabilities in a different manner for example Christensen and Overdorf (2000) state of capabilities may be in terms of organizational value, processes or resources. However, it is important to note the distinction between capabilities and resources as capability essentially reflects on what an organization is able to do why drawing on the collective set of resources that it possesses. resources are a part of organizational capability because when managers are tasked with the challenge of identifying what a company can do, the most important aspect is to explore the tangible and high-quality resources that an organization possesses.
Accordingly, the processes of an organization essentially transform those resources into value added services or products. These processes include communication frameworks as well as coordination strategies (Christensen and Overdorf, 2000). the values are held by an organization are not limited to ethical and moral practices but have a broader meaning because it covers the standards that employees use when making judgments about what is important. This essentially relates to the prioritization of tasks, responsibilities and decisions at all levels of the organization.
Capabilities may also exist in clusters for example Turner and Crawford (1998) that organizational capabilities also include development, performance management, engagement, marketing and selling and business technology. Capabilities such as engagement development and performance management have the ability to reshape a firm whereas marketing and selling and business technology are operational.
Understanding organization capabilities can assist in the implementation and management of organizational change because some capabilities are directly linked with driving change. For example, communication and commitment to change our engagement capabilities that are favorable towards the implementation of change. Moreover, certain capabilities can also support a change management intervention. For example, capabilities in business technology can help in new product development in order to capture a significant proportion of the market share. Organizational capabilities can also advance the performance of an organization which further stabilizes its ability to accept change and institutionalize it. The suggest that organizational capabilities and change are interlinked and in order to accept change and institutionalize it an organization must continue to develop its capabilities across different clusters and areas.
Question 2
Organizations use their strategy to understand how they will secure a competitive advantage by utilizing their resources. Therefore, strategy has a broad focus (Paul and Franckeiss, 2002) and is linked to the introduction of new products and services or exploring ways of managing costs or pushing down prices. Strategy defines the framework for organizational design by establishing the basis for a firm’s design choices and the organizational capabilities which are required to achieve the desired strategy. According to Cummings and Worley (2009), integrated strategic change is an intentional and interrelated process to incrementally introduce systemic readjustments between the strategic direction of a firm and its environment in order to improve overall organizational effectiveness and drive performance. Features of this type of change include the focus on the strategic orientation, change capabilities and the integration of planning and implementation techniques.
In order to implement this framework, the first step is to conduct an organization-wide strategic assessment which highlights the organizations readiness for change. The most important part of this aspect is the senior management’s willingness to engage in change management. this is strategic analysis also involves identifying the present strategy and organizational design. The second step is to design the new strategic orientation based on a critical analysis of the promise present performance and the environment in which it operates. This assessment enables the senior management to develop a set of alternative strategies. Other aspects of this step include assessing employees’ readiness for change and having necessary market projections in addition to a detailed competitor analysis.
The conducive step is to develop the strategic change plan to highlight how change will be introduced on a strategic level. Components of this plan include defining the level of change and plan of activities in addition to corresponding costs. Once these steps have been completed, the last phase is to implement the plan. Various aspects of the plan should be implemented by the senior management who have enough knowledge of group dynamics, motivation and change management.
The research of Amis, Slack and Hinings (2004) notes that during the implementation of integrated strategic change, change activity exists at its highest level at the start of the program and eventually slows down as the program draws closer to achieving its objective. The research has implications for introducing radical change by stating that critical decision which have the most implications for a firm should be introduced at the beginning of the change intervention program. This will send a clear message across the organization about the launch of the program and the importance of launching the change management process. In this manner, the consequences of the change management program will become institutionalized and continue to persist. Another important recommendation with reference to integrated strategic change is that it should not be introduced simultaneously at all levels of the organization but after gradual relationship building with stakeholders so that they are onboard the change management process. These recommendations also indicate that radical change is not a quick process but occurs in organizations at a gradual pace. Therefore, it is imperative for managers to enforce it in a well-planned and strategic manner by ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the process.
References
Amis, J., Slack, T., & Hinings, C. R. (2004). The pace, sequence, and linearity of radical change. Academy of Management Journal, 47(1), 15-39.
Arnold, K. A., & Loughlin, C. (2013). Integrating transformational and participative versus directive leadership theories: Examining intellectual stimulation in male and female leaders across three contexts. Leadership and Organization Development Journal, 34(1), 67-84.
Beckert, J. (1999). Agency, entrepreneurs, and institutional change. The role of strategic choice and institutionalized practices in organizations. Organization studies, 20(5), 777-799.
Christensen, C. M., & Overdorf, M. (2000). Meeting the challenge of disruptive change. Harvard business review, 78(2), 66-77.
Cummings, T. G., Worley, C. G., & Donovan, P. (2020). Organization development and change.
Keating, E., Oliva, R., Repenning, N., Rockart, S., & Sterman, J. (1999). Overcoming the improvement paradox. European Management Journal, 17(2), 120-134.
Paul, V., & Franckeiss, A. (2002). The five dimensions of change: an integrated approach to strategic organizational change management. Strategic change, 11(1), 35.
Proctor, T., & Doukakis, I. (2003). Change management: the role of internal communication and employee development. Corporate Communications: An International Journal.
Stoffers, J., & Mordant-Dols, A. (2015). Transformational leadership and professionals’ willingness to change: A multiple case study in project management organisations. Human Resource Management Research, 5(2), 40-46.
Turner, D., & Crawford, M. (1998). Change power: Capabilities that drive corporate renewal. Allen & Unwin.
