How a Company Approaches Changes - Assignment Example

? Change Model Assignment It is without doubt that change is everywhere and occurs on a daily basis. The worldis changing at a very fast rate where an item used today because obsolete tomorrow and a new item is invented that is more efficient and expensive. This fact has been proven more so in the world of information technology where inventors are coming up with new ways of doing things every day. Companies that are able to handle change steadily and effectively will ultimately strive but those that fail to do so may find themselves in a predicament where they are struggling to stay afloat in the market. How change is introduced in an organization greatly determines how it will be accepted by the employees which will contribute to organizational success. Companies want to grow and expand in the long run but the problem arises where change is an intimidating step among the management and employees since the outcome is unknown and since they are moving out of their comfort zone (Van de Ven & Sun 2011). For change to be effective, a detailed plan has to be made in advance, implementation has to be slow and steady and most importantly is that the people it affects have to be consulted and involved in the change process rather than being by- standers. The change has to be measurable, ideally achievable and realistic. Some important questions need to be answered before introducing the change; what is it that we want to attain from the change, how will we know that we have attained the change we long for, who are the people that will be directly affected by the change and what is their expected response? It is by answering these questions that will form the basis of how to explain to the employees of the reasons for the change and help them understand and contribute positively towards the achieving the change (Van de Ven & Sun 2011). How a company approaches changes that are long-term and one that is short term is ideally different. A business may opt to use lewin’s change management model for a short- term change in the organization. The model revolves around three stages that is; freeze, change, unfreeze stage. Since the business is attempting to open up a shop in Shanghai, China but for only a short term, the model would be the best since it provides for a quick change in events around an organization. Since opening up the shop in Shanghai is for a short time, the organization may be testing the waters to see how well their company will respond to international change where the people as well as their culture are different. In the first stage of unfreeze, the organizations tries to break the status quo by explaining that these changes are necessary and should be accepted for the company to grow. The key to this stage is to develop a compelling message to the employees of the need for change perhaps due to worrying financial results, poor customer satisfaction, or just the need for improvement and expansion of the company for it to grow (Van de Ven & Sun 2011). For the change to be successful, it is important that the employees be prepared psychologically by changing their core beliefs and attitudes about the organization. If the company wants to go global, there is need to change the mindset of the employees, stopping them from looking at the company in its regional state but as an international company. For goals to be achieved, they have to be foreseen before they are worked towards achieving them. The first part is very hard and stressful since when change starts, people have to start adapting to the new ways of doing things which pushes them off balance. It is for this reason that during early stages of the new store would seem slow and progress to be almost none. If this phase is not handled carefully, rebellion is likely to be seen among the employees (Mariana & Violeta 2011). The second phase is the change part where people are inculcated into the new radical ways of doing things. People have to see that the change is meant to benefit the entire company. Having to open up a shop in china means that employees given the responsibility will have to undergo a number of changes, such as having to learn Chinese language as well as their culture an attitude towards what the company is selling. Some employees may have to move to china to oversee the opening and running of the new shop, the company will also start dealing with Chinese investors and it is important to understand their values and culture. Such responsibilities are extra challenges to the employees some of whom may not be willing to accept. It is why the company should introduce the change among a number of employees and not the entire organization since the shop is being opened only for a short period of time. Choosing the appropriate time to introduce the change and communicating it effectively will reduce tension and ease up acceptance (Mariana & Violeta 2011). The third stage is refreezing and it is embraced where people have gradually accepted the change and have gotten used to it. The organization has to see whether the changes have been institutionalized and become part of the daily operations of the company. It is only after the organization has seen the success of the change and positive returns are realized, can they be able to progress to opening up other stores in other countries (Mariana & Violeta 2011). Where the organization attempts to open up shops in B.R.I.C countries for long- term goals, a different model will be approached, such as Kotter’s 8 step change model. Since the company’s long term goals are to go international, the first step would be to create urgency in the need for the organization to open up new shops in other countries. This will create motivation as the move is in line with the goals of the company. This stage can only be successful where the company creates a powerful coalition by convincing people that the move is necessary. This can be done by approaching employees in the organization who are emulated and followed by other employees and request them to convince the rest of the employees. It is important that the company management create a vision they hope to achieve by undertaking these changes. A clear vision makes it easier to convince people to do what you want as they can see the vision themselves. Remove the obstacles on the way and create short –term wins which will constantly motivate the employees to continue with the changes employed. It is important to build on the win by analyzing every win, such as an increase in earning for that year, as well as looking into what the employees did right and what can be improved. Finally, to make the changes part of the daily routine of the organization, there is need to inculcate the changes within the organizational culture. This will ensure that support for the change does not end by continually encouraging the employees to adapt it (Van de Ven & Sun 2011). Since the shops are opened for a long period of time, new employees from those countries will have to be employed, and the management will have to be restructured to fit in with these new changes. The diversity among the employees, management and executives will certainly increase as compared to before. Since the company has diversified its operations, there is need for new employees and managers to ensure that the new shops run successfully since they know more about how to market the items in their respective countries. Employees may feel a sense of worry since they do not know if they may lose their jobs or what the future holds for them. They may have to be required to learn other languages so as to relate well when deployed to other countries to work. Many employees and managers will become uneasy and may not support the change fully. It is by involving them in the change and helping them understand that it is for the good of the organization will the changes yield positive results (Van de Ven & Sun 2011). References Van de Ven, A. H., & Sun, K. (2011). Breakdowns in Implementing Models of Organization Change. Academy Of Management Perspectives, 25(3), 58-74. Mariana, P., & Violeta, S. (2011). Opportunity to Reduce Resistance to Change in a Process of Organizational Change. Annals of The University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 20(2), 698-702. Read More