Business Improvement and Change - Case Study Example

Running Head: Business Development and Change Can Gerry Robinson fix the NHS? – Analysis and Recommendations s Contents Introduction Analysis and Evaluation Conclusion Recommendation Introduction The essay evaluates the case Can Gerry Robinson Fix the NHS? in relations to theories and conceptions associated with the issue dealt in the case. The case has been prepared by a businessman Gerry Robinson. The case basically deals with the issue associated with public health sector and provides some workable suggestions for the improvement of National Health Service (NHS) (Teeman, 2007, p1). The essay analyzes the program to identify the factors that could drive the change within NHS and could influence the ability of the organizations towards the solutions propose by Garry Robinsons. Using appropriate theories and conceptual frameworks, the essay discusses the possible impacts of the proposed changes upon the working on NHS and overall response received by the programs from different social groups. Analysis and Evaluation The case basically strives to explore and analyze the management culture and working patterns of NHS. It has been prepared after conducting extensive research work around the topic. Garry spent six months at the Rotherham General Hospital in order to find out if the waiting lists could be reduced without further spending. The observations and analysis made by Garry Robinsons gave the impression that the commercial values could be brought to the public health care sector in order to bring significant level of improvement in the working of NHS (Midgley, 2007, p2). The change proposed by Garry Robinsons gives an impression that being a businessman and entrepreneurs matters expert, he uses to see the health sector also from the perspective of business and his analysis of the situation of NHS does not complies with the requirements of assessing a public health care sector. Rather he deems NHS as a business sector and demands some changes with the working culture of sector in the same way as he generally proposes changes within several other business sectors of the country. There are certain management theories like change management, business management, employee motivation that are found applicable to the case. Moreover, the case could also be explored in connection with different concepts of business management like strategy, resources, competitive advantages and stakeholders. The change proposed in the case tends to give proper attention towards these issues and thus, there is broader implication of these frameworks in to the case and proposed changes for NHS. The analysis of the case reveals that it analyses the performance of NHS using an appropriate model of analysis and strategy that encompasses different aspects like external and internal analysis, strategic options, existing most etc. The case analysis NHS from all of these aspects and provides a comprehensive overview of the performance and current position of NHS and provides a clear picture in the context of its operating environment (Johnson and Scholes, 2002, p98). Garry Robinsons insists upon the proper management of NHS that seems quite reasonable recommendation and practical. Management is to make organizations work efficiently by making the best use of the available resources. The important of effective management is proved by many of the researchers (e.g. James, 2001, p34; Neilson, 2007, p71,; Paul, ,2001, p5) and it is an established fact now that for successful operations of any organization, the management has the key role to play and without effective management an organizations could not expect to be successful (Birley, 1985, p32). However, his analysis that the management is equally necessary for running a shop and hospital seems quite unrealistic and impractical because the management of any business or shop tends to be entirely different from the management style of any public sector like NHS. His recommendations for change merely focuses upon brining change within NHS in a manner any business entity could implement change but while making these recommendations, Garry Robinsons overlook the facts that the issues associated with the public sectors like healthcare must be addressed more carefully and adequately as compared with the issues of business world and the way of dealing with these issues is also supposed to be different from that of the business world. Garry Robinsons made all the recommendations and analysis about NHS after spending considerable time at a hospital during which he got the opportunity to have a closer look at certain associated matters (Midgley, 2007, p2). Based upon this fact, his analysis and recommendations seem quite justified because he didn’t made these comments while standing apart from the system but first he became part of the organization and then unveils his options and reservations regarding certain important matters. It makes the recommendations made by Garry Robinsons more valid and applicable because these recommendations have been formulated by a person having close working experience at one of the leading healthcare organization. The recommendations proposed in the case comply with the five force model presented by Porter in 1980 that calls upon formulating the strategy after analyzing the threats of entry, substitutes, rivalry, buyers and suppliers. The case analyses the position of NHS in connection with all of these factors (Porter, 1980, p8) The weaknesses of the systems have been identified in the program in order to point out the factors that have been acting as barrier to the progress of NHS (http://www.open2.net/). It has been analyzed that the weak managers and their interests within the weakness health care system is the biggest barrier that disallow the transformation of the system (Midgley, 2007, p2). The managers want to seek their own interests and benefits and don’t want to see any such change within the health care sector that could affect their interests (http://www.open2.net/). He explains the importance of removing the weaknesses within the management system of NHS because the present system works in such a manner that the billion pounds invested in the healthcare sector would also fail to generate positive results because of the lack of proper management and monopoly of a group of people that manage the matters for the sake of their own interests rather looking for the overall good of the system. The case also criticizes the approach of the senior management towards the resolution of the issues related with the sector (Midgley, 2007, p2). Garry reveals that the senior management give no attention towards the motivation of staff due to which the staff of the hospital uses to perform their duties in less efficient and effective manner. Here Garry pointed out towards an important factor because the significance of motivate staff is recognized by many of the social scientists and experts. Motivation basically refers to satisfying one’s needs through different actions and behaviours (Hills, 1979, p34; Heller and Robert, 1998, p489). Motivation has the capability to strongly affect the performances of the employees and it has been recognized and accepted by the experts as one of the most important responsibilities of the managers of today’s’ organizations that they should develop effective motivational strategies that allow the employees to give their best to the organization (Bittle et al, 1990, p456; Frunzi and Patrick, 1997, p21). The importance of motivating the employees through different policies and plans is being recognized by the organizations of all the sectors and industries around the globe (Catt, 1999, p45) but Garry realizes lack of motivational strategies practice within NHS and based upon this realization he proposes change within the management practice of NHS. Garry also stressed upon brining significant level of change within the management of hospital system. The effectiveness of implementation of change depends upon proper management of change and for this it is imperative that the management of the healthcare sector must have adequate awareness and understanding of the principle of change management that basically refers to the implementation of change in controlled method using predefined framework (Kotter, 1996, p97). The healthcare system could be able to avail the benefits of reforms only if the change would be managed in proper manner (Burnes, 2000, p143). Conclusion It is revealed from the analysis of the program that there is great implication of different management theories within the change recommendations proposed by the program. Garry has pointed out several important issues that needed to be managed effectively to bring significant level of improvement within the healthcare system. It is found that the recommendations and analysis made by Garry have broader implications within the theoretical as well as practical business scenario because his proposals for bringing change are verified by certain social scientists as well as business experts. Gerry Robinsons stresses upon the management of the healthcare sector as well as to motivate the employees to assure their efficient performance for the system. Both of these issues have been regarded as core strategies that could bring improvement within the practice of any organization. Hence, it is found that there is implication of theories of motivation and business management within the recommendations made by Garry Robinsons. At the same time, it is also found that the program has been criticized on the way he deals with health sector. In practice, the experts want that the public care sector should not be handled in a way other business organizations are dealt and this is the major criticism received by the program that places question mark upon the credibility and practicability of the change proposals made by Garry Robinsons. Recommendation The analysis of the change recommendations proposed by Garry Robinsons in the program Can Gerry Robinson Fix the NHS? allows having an insight over the issues and controversies associated with the program. It is found that the program is mainly criticized due to dealing with the healthcare sector like any other business organization. The experts have also expressed their reservations about the proposed change in the sector. It is recommended that the proposals for change must be put forward in front of the policy makers and the managers in a manner that the recommendations clearly give them impression that the analysis is made purely in the context of their own working environment and not according to the general business scenario. The analysis of program has proved broader implications of different theories and management principle like business and change management, motivational policies and human resource management etc. The change proposals offered by the program are valid but they need to attain a positive response from the experts an public by demonstrating that the analysis and proposed changes have been formulated after having deep insight over the working practice of the healthcare sector and the way of dealing with the issues within the public service sector is quite different from that of other business sectors. The effort made by the program is worthwhile however; it must be backed up with the public and experts’ support that could be attained through building acceptability of the work among them. References Burnes, B. (2000) Managing Change; a Strategic Approach to Organizational Dynamics, Essex: Pearson Education Limited Birley, S. (1985) the role of networks in the entrepreneurial process, Journal of Business Venturing, p32, 1985 Bittel, Lester R. and John W. Newstrom (1990). What Every Supervisor Should Know. St. Louis: McGraw-Hill, Inc., pp456-499 Catt, Stephen E. and Donald S. Miller (1999). Human Relations: A Contemporary Approach. Homewood, Illinois: Richard D. Irwin, Inc. Frunzi, George L. and Patrick E. Savini (1997). Supervision: The Art of Management. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Johnson, G. and Scholes, K (2002) Exploring Corporate Strategy: Texts and Cases 6th edn. Harlow: FT Prentice Hall (and earlier editions) Kotter, P John (1996), Leading change, Harvard Business Press, 1996 Heller and Robert (1998). Communicate Clearly. New York: DK Publishing, 1998. Hill, Norman C. (1979). Increasing Managerial Effectiveness: Keys to Management and Motivation. Menlo Park, Calif.: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1979. James, F. (2001). Business Process Management Systems", Gale Publications, p34, 2001 Midgley, C (2007). Robinson prescribes a quick-fix cure, The (United Kingdom), 01/09/2007 Neilson, T. (2007). Business Process Management with a Business Rules Approach, Book Surge Publishing, p71 Porter, M. (1980) "The Five Competitive Forces that Shape Strategy", Harvard Business Review, p8 Smith, B. (2009). Changing cultures. Retrieved online from: http://www.open2.net/healtheducation/health_socialcare/gerry_change.html Teeman, T (2007). Gerry cant fix it for you, Times, The (United Kingdom), 12/13/2007 Read More