Organizational Change Project - Essay Example

Organizational change project The ability to lead change is one of the essential properties of successful leaders and it facilitates organizations’ goals. It however faces resistance forces, especially when the involved change is controversial and involves high level of risk. This paper reviews a case study on Simmons’ and identifies the organization’s challenges and problems that indicate the need for change.
Simmons is an established company that has been in existence for more than a century. It started as a small-scale family business but later expanded to become an international enterprise with thousands of employees. The organization has also undergone transitions from its family based orientation to its current form that is professionally managed. Simmons has also identified a decision-making culture in which decisions are based on the organization’s history. Its culture also involves creativity and innovation, utility optimization and customer satisfaction as core principles. Even though it once deviated from its core objective of manufacturing mattresses, the organization realigned to its original objective. Two years ago, Simmons recruited Eites, a dynamic manager who has proposed a cultural change program to the organization’s environment that has become unfavorable. Effects of recession and the September 11 terror attack besides bankruptcy of three major customers have for example hit the organization. One of the organization’s suppliers also delivered spoilt raw materials, leading to defective product (Edmondson, 2007).
Facts in the case identify diversified challenges and problems that require change. Its historic decision making culture that induces rigidity and resistance to change is an example. The organization also faces adverse economic conditions from recession and effects of the terror attack. Resistance to proposed changes and receipt of bad materials are other issues that identify the need for change (Edmondson, 2007).
Works cited
Edmondson, A 2007, “Leading change at Simmons (A),” Harvard Business School, (9.406.046), viewed on March 18, 2013. Read More