Business Process Change and Lewins Change Model - Report Example

Business Process Change Name Instructor’s Name Course Name and Code Date Presently, we are in an ever-changing world. What worked yester years is not likely to work today or in the near future. Competent managers understand that organizations ought to be successful consequently; they have to adjust to the changes that are taking place in the organization and the general environment. Many business process teams have established new process. However, most of them are very discouraged when the company does not enforce the new process. Management of change from an old version to a new version of great significance in any organization process change efforts. The basis of any successful change is when the team starts a project and it continues in the entire project as the team develops management incentives systems. There are various types of business process change problems. The problems vary with the type of work that is being done as well as the nature of environmental change that ought to be accommodated. There are changes that only need modest improvements in existing processes. However, others need a comprehensive redesign of an existing process or establishment of a new process. There are some managers who focus change on how the employees perform and others use software applications so that they can automate the process. In most cases the software application are bought over the counter or it can be downloaded straight from the internet. In some cases, the software application can be developed so that it can meet the particular requirements. In short, there are a myriad of methods that can help to redesign or improve business processes. Managers have options to choose from. The business process change cycle ought to be done continuously by organizations. Organization’s goals as well as its success ought to be compared with the environment that the organization functions so to establish whether the organization will be successful. Even though a manager can predict chances of performing better, they ought to make adjustments in the organizations so that the organization can be aligned to the threats as well as opportunities it faces. Internal changes start by considering the business process that firm is currently using. Some of the process will require improvement while others will require major revision. Some of the process will have to be eliminated and newfangled process will be instituted so that they can respond to available opportunities. Once the process are identified that require changes, process change ought to be instituted. Since time in memorial, strategic planning has been a well sort after tool by organizations since it is a change process that leads to better performance of an organization. This remarkable aspect has proved a worthy step in the revitalization, rejuvenation and transformation of the organization. However, in the current researches, this tool of planning has faced backlash and scepticism from various pundits. The normality of political and economical uncertainty coupled with technological change has accelerated this shift. This disillusionment has resulted in the common phrases of not keeping up with the pace of change in the society and so forth. Despite this and many other comments, most critics have failed to see the cardinal point (May, 2010). This misconception of the strategic plan fails to recognize the various angles that it takes for a strategic plan to succeed. This as a major policy in the success of a plan involves a whole lot of straightforward undertakings by the various people involved in the organization. Stakeholders, the society, consultants and many more play a vital role in ensuring the success of the strategic plan. These steps or angles as stated may involve understanding and grasping of challenges and opportunities available, comprehensive assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the organization, inclusive tackling of the plan, and installation of an empowered planning group and involvement of the senior management. Many researchers and management experts term a strategic plan as a torch light that assists an organization in fulfilment of a mission or a change in an organization. Through this strategic plan, the mission is attained with maximum proficiency and its impact felt. Nonetheless, for a strategic plan to be effective, articulated and described steps in accomplishing the goals should be laid out. Added to this is the critical fact that a strategic plan is supposed to be reviewed in every 3 to 5 years (May, 2010). Consequently, the various steps in making and maintaining a successful strategic plan are discussed henceforth in two sections. According to the field theory, effective change needs comprehending all the coexisting facts that are conceived as mutually interdependent. Lewin the architect of field theory concerned himself with group and individual behaviour that included change. Lewin contributed ‘action research’ in the field of problem-cantered study. Solving problem, just like effective change, needs putting a problem with a system with as many important and interdependent elements as possible. In this field individuals are a dynamic field that has interdependent parts that include ‘life spaces’ of work, family, church as well as other groups. Individuals take negative as well as positive influences from their experiences, which determine their identity as helps in explaining their behaviour. Kurt Lewin espoused that assembling relevant, mutually independent elements to elucidate social phenomena, for instance, leadership and change. For instance, Johns may or may not be aware that prior to meeting McLlwaine the school superintendent he had tangled with uncle Johns over black teachers’ pay a few years before. However, McLlwaine was aware of the experiences and the influenced his assessment of Barbara John’s effort to lead as well as his decision regarding the students strike. As a result of their influence, the prior conflict became part and parcel of the field of controversy. Their concealed nature shows their difficulties in gathering as well as assessing facts that are important during an event (Goethals & Sorenson, 2007). Restraining forces (against change) Current equilibrium Driving forces (for change) Illustration of force-field analysis According to the force-field analysis when the driving force is increased, it cannot be adequate for change since the restraining forces are in place and when the forces are in place it becomes intricate to use the driving forces. An analogy is the moment one pushes against a spring. The more one pushes the harder it becomes. However, when one stops pushing the spring will revert back to its previous position even after the spring had gone past that point. Evidently, unless the restraining and driving forces are balanced a yo-yo effect will come about. It is worth noting that the restraining forces ought not to be considered as deliberate efforts to disrupt change. According to Lewin, change can be easier and long lasting when the forces against change are reduced, rather than increasing the forces of change. Lewin suggests that modifying forces that maintain status quo can be easy compared to increasing forces that bring about change. The Lewin’s change model has three steps. The first step is unfreezing- this entails reducing the strength of forces that maintain the current equilibrium. The second step is moving - this involves developing fresh organizational attitudes, values as well as behaviours that will help to move the organization. Lastly, is refreezing- this entails stabilizing after changes have been instituted so that there is a new equilibrium. Lewin’s change model has a number of criticisms, for instance, what will happen if the organization is in an environment that is rapidly changing and cannot ‘refreeze’? in addition, does refreezing result in becoming stale and staid. Alternatively, what happens when the organization was already moving and did not have stability? However, Lewin counters this criticism by stating that refreezing ought not to be perceived as something that is permanent. Lewin argues that refreezing may last for a short time but it is pertinent to do it so that stability can be achieved in the organization. According to Cummings & Worley (2009), action research model puts focus on planned change as cyclical process that initial research regarding the organization offers information to guide subsequent action. The outcome of the action is the asses to offer much information that will guide further action. This cycle of research and action entails substantial collaboration organization development and organization members. The model put more focus on data gathering as well as diagnosis before action planning, enforcement, and a careful evaluation of the outcome after action is taken. Traditionally, action research aims at helping organizations implement change as well as developing general knowledge, which can be applied in other environments. The cycle involved in action research model entails eight main steps. Firstly, Problem identification – at this stage an individual with influence in the organization identifies a problem that can be solved through the aid of an organization development practitioner Cummings & Worley (2009). The second step is consultation with a behavioural science expert – at this stage; the client and the organization development expert analyze each other. The organization development expert has his normative or frame of reference and ought to be conscious of those values and assumptions and when he shares them with the client right from the beginning he develops an open and collaborative environment. The third step data gathering and preliminary diagnosis- this step is undertaken by the organization development expert with the help of members in the organization. This step entails gathering appropriate information. The gathered information is then analyzed so that it can determine the main triggers of organization issues. Data gathering can be done through questionnaires, process observation, interview as well as organizational performance. When gathering data, the practitioner can influence the members. In organizational development, any action that is undertaken by the organization development practitioner can be perceived as an intervention that will bring about some change in the organization Cummings & Worley (2009). Fourthly, is the feedback to a key client or group – since action research is an activity that is collaborative, the diagnostic data is fed back to the client in a group team meeting. The feedback step that members get information gathered by organizational development expert helps to determine the strengths as well as weaknesses of the unit under study. The organizational development practitioner offers the client all the important data. Fifthly, is joint diagnosis of the issue at hand, during this stage members of the organization discuss the feedback as well as explore with the organization development expert if they would like to work on identified problems. There is a relationship among data gathering, feedback as well as diagnosis since the practitioner summarizes the basic data from the client members and gives the data for validation as well as further diagnosis Cummings & Worley (2009). Sixthly, is joint action planning – both the client members and organizational development expert agree jointly on actions that need to be taken. Actually, this is the commencement of moving process since the organization decides how they can get a quasi-stationery equilibrium. During this stage, specific action need to be taken, this depends with the technology, culture, environment of the organization, diagnosis of the issue at hand as well as the time and expense of the intervention Cummings & Worley (2009). The seventh stage is the action stage. It entails actual movement from one organizational state to a different one. This can entail putting new methods as well as procedures, reorganizing structures along with work designs as well as encouraging new behaviour. These actions cannot be enforced immediately instead it needs a transition period as the organization shifts to the desired state. Lastly, is data gathering after action. Since action research is a continuous process, data ought to be gathered after action has been done to evaluate the implications of the actions and feed the results back to the organization. In turn, this can result in diagnosis along with new action Cummings & Worley (2009). Managers should thus provide a conducive working environment for their employees as well as a salary or wages that can help the employees meet their physiological needs. The managers should also provide a habitat friendly working environment for their employees, which should be secure, safe and hygienic and provide retirement benefits. The management should also regularly organize social events for their employees to create room for interaction, social participation and motivation at the work place. The management should also create a reward system to appreciate the good work of the employees who exude excellence at their workstations to meet their esteem needs (Hannagan, 2008). The incorporation of employees in the tackling of challenging tasks that need the full engagement of the employee’s, helps the mangers to gauge the employee’s competence and abilities as well as help the employee utilize their potential to the maximum (Hannagan, 2008). The key to TQM is not for everyone in the organization learning how to use specific tools as well as techniques. It involves development of new management system as well as operation. Nonetheless, tool and techniques are fundamental for TQM. The relevance of TQM tools is diminished by the manner in which they are taught: to large groups, with examples that do not relate with the trainees’ work. Tools ought to be focused on and be learned in the context of the tools real function. Consequently, a strategic analysis group requires skill in flowcharting while a team that deal in sales needs less focus on that tool however it needs more on how to use Pareto charts. Nonetheless, this is just use of common sense. Teaching ought to begin with learner’s needs and not the teacher’s needs. By matching the needs, the right tools help in enabling the learner to improve work process as well as solve problems. For one to use TQM to get improvement needs managers to understand the causes of the problems (Sashkin, 1993). References Goethals, G & Sorenson, G. (2007). The quest for a general theory of leadership. Edward Elgar Publishing. Cummings, T & Vorley, C. (2009). Organization development and change. Belmont: Cengage Learning. Hannagan, T. (2008). Management: Concepts and practices, 5th edition. New York: Financial Times/Prentice Hall. May, G. (2010). Strategic planning: Fundamentals for small business. London: Business Expert Press. Sashkin, M. (1993). Putting total quality management to work: What TQM means, how to use it & how to sustain it over the long run. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Read More