Application of a New Organizational Scanning System - Essay Example

Application of a new organizational scanning system. Student’s Name Institution Application of a new organizational scanning system. Introduction. One of the vast numbers of the changes recommended in an educational organization is the development of a scanning system for the environment. The results of an operational environmental scanning system can be used by the school system to avoid crises. As such, the system brings the idea of quality school administration to a reality. A five-step implementation strategy can be used to bring the changes to the scanning system. These steps are based on two theories, namely the nudge theory and the eight-stage John P Kotter's model of change. The success of the implementation of the new scanning system would depend on the rational application of the reason backed strategies. Once, implemented the new scanning process would enable the organization aligns with the new trends in the education industry. Change. A scanning system can be developed by a single person or by a group of administrators. However, it is better to apply the forces of the group because of two major reasons. A group can provide a broader view of the history and the future of a school system hence it can help determine the relevant and the emerging issues (Hammersley-Fletcher, 2008). Secondly, a group prevents the problems communication, acknowledgment and reception of the information from the external environment. Ultimately, a group minimizes the problems of reporting and organization. A scanning system stimulates the valuable thinking within the organizational leadership. It encourages a continuous search of the interconnection of the organizational events. In this practice, the system promotes new processes and approaches to challenges, and can be significant in other organization policymaking processes (By, 2005). A scanning system can be applied to various parts of the school administration. One can derive the priority areas from the specialized periodicals, magazines, newsletters as well as news sources where the priority areas can be identified. Additionally, the polls’ public opinion should be considered to determine the value of the public to the available issues. Almost all the scanning systems consider the files on the public opinion. In fact, all the opinion polls should be included on all issues. Newspapers can become significant resources of the scanning process. Many national newspapers have specific bias and focus. As such, these newspapers should be scanned on a continuous basis. In the US, the best newspaper to scan is the U.S.A Today because of its emphasis on the actual news instead of the opinion and analysis. On the other hand, the Wall Street Journal is the best for scanning the emerging issues. In the end, the new scanning system within the school organization would help it acquire information about the trends, events and the relationships in the external environment of the organization. The results would assist the management in the planning of the course of action in the organization’s future. In a schools’ view, such areas that can be solved through the continuous assessment of the environment for information include equality, health and social concerns, amongst others. The scanning system can help determine the health trends, and the emerging issues, which are of importance to the school systems. In this perspective, the scanning system can help the school avoid the infections prone areas of the globe, avoid unhealthy practices and promote the healthy practices among the stakeholders. Additionally, it can help get invaluable insights into the behaviours of the population concerning the consumption of the educational services. Steps of developing a scanning system. An environmental scanning system is a method of gathering, analysing and disseminating the information regarding the industrial trends and the emerging issues. When developing a sound scanning system, some steps should be adhered to. These steps help achieve the most beneficial scanning process for the organization (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, B.2005). Table 1. Steps and strategies of changes to the scanning system 1. Consideration of the scanning type. This step involves the setting the parameters of scanning. There are two types of the environmental scanning, namely formal analytical and social intuitive. A formal analytical type of the scanning involves the investigation of a wide variety of sources and the consequent reporting. On the other hand, the social intuitive involves the investigation of the most important information in the environment. The social intuitive approach is mostly used by the start-up entrepreneurs. In this approach, the individuals do a lot of networking and ask questions about the future situations. This approach is not fit for an established school organization (Reeves, 2009). On the other hand, the use of the formal analytical scanning helps bring range, discipline and inference to a social-intuitive preference. As such, it must consider the intent and the perspective of the scanner. The application of the formal analytic scanning ensures a continuous scanning approach. 2. Selection of the scanning team. The scanning selection of the scanning team depends on the profile of the contributors as well as their number. The most recommended size of the scanning team comprises of 6-10 individuals. However, the team members need to exhibit such features as imagination, fluency and the ability to network. Moreover, it is suggested that the team should be representative of the organizational departments. In this case, the team might be comprised of the organization’s lobbyists, journalists, and the education professionals. 3 Identification of the sources of the information. The primary sources of the information include the media because they provide productive and reliable pieces over time. Nevertheless, exploration of the other sources can help access more specific information pieces. As a result, there should be a developed list of the sources of information for the organization. A typical mix of the information sources includes credible online or print media, the STEEP categories (Technology Review) and the American Demographics. 4. Designing of the scanning method. The choice of the scanning method depends on the leadership commitment and the availability of the resources. A good scanning method depends on several factors. One of the factors is the identification of the possible trends. The possible trends can be identified by giving the persons the lists of sources that they should track over time. Additionally, the quality of the results is influenced by the refinement of the possibilities (Reeves, 2009). In this case, the members should meet to discuss the findings from different sources. This practice leads to the refinement of the possibilities. Moreover, the continuous scanning seeks the new possibilities and information. Furthermore, the testing of the implications helps prompt the shared learning. 5 Provision of the final scanning information. This step provides the information to the policymakers for use in the refinement of the organization. The information is provided in the form of the reports and hindsight. The theories that underpin the approach to change management. Change management includes the effective planning as well as the sensitive implementation (Clarke & Stevens, 2009). It also entails the consultation with the people affected by the changes, as well as their involvement. A change should be made under various significant principles. One of these principles is the involvement of the support of the people within the system. The successful change management should also involve the understanding of the organization’s current situation. Additionally, it should have a clearly forecasted future of the organization. Moreover, the change management should determine the measurable stage of the future endeavours. Ultimately, the process should encourage the participation of people along the change’s timeline. Change management is underpinned by several schools of thought, amongst which two of them will be discussed. One of the theories that underpin the development of the scanning system is the John P Kotter’s model. John P Kotter developed a set of eight steps that can lead to a successful change. In his model, John P Kotter outlined the aspects that can help overcome the hurdles of change. The first step of the John P Kotter’s model is the increase of urgency. This step inspires the individuals to move as well as make real and relevant objectives. The second step is the building of the guiding team that is the scanning team. This step creates a team that is wholly committed to the objectives of the change. Another step is the definition of the vision of the change. The step establishes the simplest form of the change’s vision and strategy. The step also focusses on the aspects that would drive efficiency and service (Kotter, 1996). The model also advocates the involvement of the people via effective communication. In this perspective, the essentials should be communicated in simple and appealing methods. As a result, the management should use technology to its advantage. The fifth step is the empowerment of the action. In this view, the obstacles should be eliminated to enable a smooth progress of the change. Additionally, the management is recommended to create initiatives as well as the stages of the change process. In this perspective, the organization would finish a specific stage before initiating another one. Moreover, the model encompasses the continuity of the change by encouraging determination as well as persistence. In the end, the perspective encourages the progressive reporting of the project. The last step of change management that is noted by the John P Kotter’s model is the sticking of the change. This step promotes the reinforcement of the change through the recruitment of the new leaders of change. In the end, the change is modified to form a culture (Handy, 2002). The Kotter’s model can be used alongside the nudge theory. The nudge theory was developed in the early 2000s. This theory is based on the heuristics. In the light of the nudge theory, heuristics describe the tendency of the individuals to think expressively and impulsively, as opposed to reasonably and rationally, based on many influences. Heuristic thinking utilizes the human intelligence to ensure a quick, intuitive decision making. However, when the heuristic thinking is used inappropriately, it can result in unhelpful behaviours among the human beings. Inappropriate use of the heuristic thinking is caused by the pressures of the corporations, media, government, and advertising, amongst others. If the organizations understand heuristics, then it is possible to understand the reasons and approaches used by people concerning thinking, decision-making, and behaviour. The principles of heuristics can be applied to influence individuals’ decisions and thinking. The application of the principles should be indirect to help design new choices. Ethical applications of the nudge theory improve the people’s goods. Additionally, ethical application of the theory on the individuals can help benefit the organization as well as enable the functions of the leadership. Change management theories focus on the change process as well as the participants. A successful change management framework should be clear enough to point out all the aspects of change. In the Kotter’s model, the perspectives of change are pointed out, and the approaches to their address highlighted. On the other hand, the nudge theory points out the importance of the people’s mind-sets to the accomplishment of the objectives of the change. The choice of specific implementation actions and strategies. The implementation of a new environmental scanning method is a change that encompasses all departments within the organization. It also involves various aspects of the organization, including finances and human resources, amongst others. Consequently, it is a thoughtful recommendation to employ effective ideas to accomplish the goals of the intended change (Reeves, 2009). The rational justification of the steps and the strategies to institute the new scanning system improves the significance of the system on the practices of the organization. The selection of the type of the environmental scanning is the initial step in the development of a new scanning system of the educational organization. Most educational facilities have a characteristic status of not being sole-proprietorships. As a consequence, the most suited scanning method for these facilities is the formal analytical scanning. This type of scanning process looks into a vast range of sources and consequently produces a report within a determined timeline. Unlike the social-intuitive process, the formal analytical process is highly rigorous. The use of the formal analytical scanning process allows the educational organization to consider all the aspects of both the internal and the external environment. The resultant report can, therefore, be applied in a vast range of the organizational planning practices (Coleman & Earley, 2005). On the other hand, the scanning system establishes the group of individuals that is a most suited to carry out the organizational scanning. This group comes in the form of the scanning team. The secret behind the selection of individual lies in the benefits of the teamwork. A team that has diverse talents can help access the information from the different sources used for scanning. If the team is given a sound leadership structure, the scanning system can yield adequately helpful information. The step cannot be overlooked as it develops the executives of the scanning process. The third strategy in the scanning system is the identification of the primary sources of information. The scanning of the organization depends on the available information about its environment. A scanning process cannot be complete without an assessment of the central sources of information in the education industry (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005). However, the most valuable sources should be identified up front to minimize the cost of scanning. Amongst the numerous sources of the information is the print/online media. An example of a print/online source of the information is the Wall Street Journal. This journal provides relevant news and details of the emerging trends. If used for scanning processes, the organization would benefit from far-fetched details of the current trends from a global perspective. This journal is widely used to provide important data to various organizations across the globe. At the other end, a strategy to design the scanning method helps identify a specific course among the many possibilities. The strategy also helps ease the complexity of the scanning method where the organization exhibits a characteristic stratification. As a consequence, the strategy plays the role of helping adapt to the environmental uncertainties. Where the method identifies the trends of the industry, the organization can with the noticed trends to fetch the maximum benefits. Additionally, the refinement of the possibilities can help fine tune activities of the organization (Marzano, Waters & McNulty, 2005). The ultimate step of a sound scanning process is the provision of the information to the management and the relevant officials. The provision of the information is done per the needs of the strategy makers. In this step, the reports show the cause-effect relationship of the trends and the organization’s future. This step is the ultimate object of the preceding steps in the scanning process. It is the one that defines the foundation of the decision of the organization in the endeavour to relate well with the environment. Conclusion. In conclusion, organizational changes help the organization align with the trending aspects of the environment. One of the changes that can be implemented with the short-term is the development of a scanning system. A scanning system assesses the organization’s environment to detect the emerging trends. A sound strategy of developing a new scanning system should apply the nudge theory as well John P Kotter’s model to yield meaningful results (Harris, Leithwood, Day, Sammons & Hopkins, D. (2007). All the steps of the implementation of the change should be based on rational approaches rather than intuition. References. By, R. (2005). Organisational change management: A critical review. Journal of Change Management, 5(4), 369-380 Coleman, M., & Earley, P. (2005). Leadership and management in education: Cultures, change and context. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Clarke, S., & Stevens, E. (2009). Sustainable leadership in small rural schools: Selected Australian vignettes. Journal of Educational Change, 10, 277-293. Hammersley-Fletcher, L. (2008). The impact of Workforce Remodelling on change management and working practices in English primary schools. School Leadership and Management, 28(5), 489-503. Handy, C. (2002). Elephants and fleas? Is your organization prepared for change?, from http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/ journal.aspx?ArticleID=119 Harris, A., Leithwood, K., Day, C., Sammons, P., & Hopkins, D. (2007). Distributed leadership and organizational change: Reviewing the evidence. Journal of Educational Change, 8, 337-347 In Kayden, S., In Anderson, P. D., In Freitas, R., & In Platz, E. (2015). Emergency department leadership and management: Best principles and practice. Kotter, J. P. (1996). Leading change. Boston, Mass: Harvard Business School Press. Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A. (2005). School leadership that works: From research to results. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Reeves, D. B. (2009). Leading change in your school: How to conquer myths, build commitment, and get results. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Read More