Implementing Effective Changes in Organizations - Research Proposal Example

Field Report on Implementing Effective Changes in Organizations Prepared for of the Prepared by of the Prepared on Date Methods and Procedures Used in Collecting Data Data collection involved interviewing different persons in different fields using questionnaires. The eight respondents contracted held managerial positions in their work premises and thus were an excellent selection for the interviews. The questions we asked them were similar in structure, and the respondents were to answer them according to their workstations and their area of expertise. The questions were in an open-ended format. The questions are updated on appendix A for review. Analysis of Implementing Effective Changes in Organizations This analysis is grouped into the following subheading categories, Analysis of Changes in Organizations· Ensuring Commitment to Change· Leadership Strategies for Success in a Changing Environment Analysis of Changes in Organizations For changes to effect well in organizations, a couple of things have to be done by the organization’s management team. The adoption of the changes to be put in place; the setup of strategies that will go hand in hand with the new changes in place and finally the measurement of the progress of the changes in respect to the set standards. From the interviews, it was established that the success of an organization could be established via the goals and objectives emanating from the mission, vision, and value statements. These could be helpful in the measurement of success of current strategies in the changing organization. The interview also stated the importance of aligning the changes with the internal and external environments to ensure smooth transitions through the changes. Stages for Effective Changes stages Percentages Adopting Changes 76% Successful strategies 78% Measuring process 63% From the observations of research interviews, it was noted that for practical changes to take place in organizations, the strategies put in place are the most critical aspects. At the same time, the adoption of the changes would significantly affect the outcome of the organization in the long run. The measurement process is also vital as it helps in the monitoring and evaluation of the changes. It tells whether the changes are going as planned or not. Strategies put in place should be dynamic such that they can stand the test of time. They should be useful in the changes put in place and flexible during these changes. This would help them be accommodated efficiently and easily incorporated in the changing organization. The success of the strategies would mean an upward march for the organization. Their dynamism and uniqueness should be the factors to assist in the success of the organization (Goodman, 1998). An organizations success or failure is determined by the identification of problems facing the organization, creating appropriate climates and creating strategies to deal with the changes are very vital. (Kochan et al, 1992). Adopting changes in an organization as a whole is of importance as it enables the entire organization to move as a unit. The management should communicate the desire to effect changes to the workforce and stakeholders. This ensures that any queries leveled for or against the ideas of changes are critically ironed out, and the entire organization moves in a definite direction towards some course. With this differences and disparities in the working environment are minimized and smooth flow of progress realized. Considerations on the different conditions and the proposed changes should also be checked as they are vital. The changes in the internal environment should be equally done in all departments. The structures to be placed should also be communicable and easily understandable to the employees for the working progress at all departments and levels (Marty, 2001). The measuring process that is the monitoring and evaluation process helps in checking whether the changes input in place would lead to the same course or not. The process should have checkpoints where the results at those instances are compared to the expected results. From these, an analysis can be made, and corrective measures placed to bring forth the expected results in future. Ensuring Commitment to Change Commitment to change from all persons involved directly and indirectly in the organization have an impact on the growth of the organization. The total commitment ensures the organization runs as a unit in the endeavors it seeks to accomplish. Different ways to provide the commitment is to address the differences emanating from either part of the environment; to check on perceptions of the stakeholders and ensure they buy on the idea of change brought into the organization. Different views arising in the test for commitment to changes showed that measurement of perceptions of the stakeholders informed management on how the rest thought of the changes. Addressing the differences in the department heads and convincing the stakeholders that the said changes are helpful can be a way of ensuring commitment. Criteria to Address the Commitment to Changes in an Organization criteria Percentages Differences 62% Proposed changes 63% Measuring perception 50% Scholars insist that for organizations to effectively manage changes plans should be set up in such a way the employees don’t resist these changes, in a cost efficient manner and also to ensure the organization reaps heavily from the changes. This can be checked via commitment. To enhance commitment to an organization, the most important aspect is to ensure that the stakeholders will accept the proposed changes. The different types of stakeholders can be addressed differently considering their role in the organization. However, they are all to be convinced that the changes being effected in the organization are of vital importance for the growth, development, and survival of the organization in the changing environment. This is thus the most important factor to consider when ensuring commitment to changes in an organization is affected (Madeleine at el, 2011). Ironing out the differences in the internal environment is another aspect to be critically checked as these are drivers of an organization. If they are in agreement, the smooth running of the organization is considered. The middle-level management that is usually in contact with the workforce should be firstly oriented on the modifications to be effected. This is to ensure that the information relayed to the workforce from them is in agreement with the overall changes to be made in the organization. Measurement of the perceptions of both the internal and external environment is critical to the test for the commitment of these two to an organization changing. The perceptions are what they think about the changes being effected in the organization. This can assist the management in the analysis of changes and what people think about the new effects. From the research, however; the measure of perceptions does not adequately address the test for commitment to changes. This may be due to bias from the respondents or due to unwelcome reception to the changes. Therefore, commitment to changes in an organization thus can be checked through measurement of perceptions (Madeleine, 2011). Leadership Strategies for Success in a Changing Environment In an organization undergoing change involves a lot of input from the leaders. The leadership styles, the motivation of the workforce from the employer and how actually the management detects an appropriate strategy. The latter is the most important as from the study the strategy of success is the most important. The interviews indicated that motivation of the workforce; having an appropriate style of leadership befitting the type of organization and the development of strategies that augur well for the development of the organization , are but some of the factors that ensure success in the business environment. Factors ensuring organizational success during changes criteria Percentages Motivation 24% Leadership style 38% Detecting strategies 63% From these criteria, detecting the best strategy for success in the changing environment is critical for success. The strategies involve how the organization will organize its resources, schedule its tasks, manage its time and approach the market. With appropriate strategies, the organization is likely to develop and incorporate the changes positively. In the detection of appropriate strategies, appropriate checkpoints are to be put in place. Through measurement of appropriate strategies can be done through comparison of the available strategies for set goals and objectives. The approach that enables the organization reaches its goals is thus the best of the strategies. This can thus be incorporated into the system for good in the changing environment (Rosemary, 2008). The strategies are developed through the setup of goals and objectives and monitoring on their achievements. With these, one can be able to check whether the process is successful or not in the current strategy. Mechanisms can also be established to check on the performance of an organization before and after a change has been implemented to ascertain that a given strategy works effectively (Yukl, 2004). Conclusions The following conclusions are based on the analysis of the criteria to implement effective changes in organizations. In order for practical changes to take place in an organization and impact well on both the internal and external environment effective communication has to be put in place. With appropriate communication structures in place, information can quickly be disseminated even in changing times with constraints being addressed, and solutions effected through the same channels. Having appropriate strategies to survive the changes is the most important factor for an organization existing during such times. Adoption of the changes as well as monitoring the plans in place keeps an organization in its course for success. Ensuring both the internal and external environments are well aware of the changes and are positive about these changes will bring forth significant developments in the changing conditions for the success of the organization. Recommendations Based on the above conclusions, the following recommendations are made for practical implementation of changes in organizations. The most vital element of thriving of an organization through change is effective communication. This ensures the information is well disseminated throughout the entire organization. It is well known that for the structure to work they must be in agreement with one another, a function well executed through effective communication. An organization undergoing changes is well placed if it has appropriate strategies. With an appropriate strategy, an organization learns the design to fit in the changing environment. The plan also outlines the goals, vision and course of action the organization is to take for survival. It is important for both environments to be in agreement with the changes in place. This ensures no collisions in the course of its activities as an organization and the products or services being produced are likable to the external environment for the market to be reached. References Afsaneh Navahandi.(2009). The Art and Science of Leadership, 5th Edition; Prentice Hall; New Jersey Crom, Michael A, and Stuart R. Levine. (1994).The Leader in You: [how to Win Friends, Influence People, and succeed in a Changing World]. New York; Cambridge Publishers. Fogg, C. D. (1994). Team-Based Tactical Planning: A Entire Guide to Structuring, Facilitating, and Implementing the Process. New York: American Management Association. Goodman, Michael B. (1998). Corporate Communications for Executives. Albany: State University of New York Press. Kochan, Thomas A.(1992). Transforming Organizations. Oxford; Oxford University Press· Ryan, Rosemary. (2008). Development: A Guide for Human Resource and Training Professionals. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. New York; Cambridge Publishers. Shawn A. Smith, Rebecca A. Mazin, 1958, An Indispensible guide for Managers and Human Resource Professionals, 2nd edition New York, Amacom Books Yukl, Gary A, and Richard Lepsinger. (2004). Leadership: Creating Assessment by Balancing Several Challenges and Choices. Oxford; Oxford Press. Appendix A· Interviews: Questions+ Answers· Participants· Chad Jewell· Jessica Duncan· Interview 1 (Chase Bank):· Interview Question 1: How do you measure the progress of the organization in regards to the mission, vision and value statements? Answer Executive A: “We are dealing with chase here, in my position. So it is a large company, a large entity who has a lot of backrooms, research going on at all time. So mostly it is handed down to me. A discussion of what we see, what we find and what we know is happening, and then a discussion of how we take that and make a change within a chase branch setting. For instance right now we have less and fewer people walking in into the branch setting, so we had to prepare ourselves and had to discuss technology with our customers and being sure that they know how to do things electronically. Everything is researched all the time and then handed to me. , Interview Question 2: How do you measure the success of current strategies against proposed changes? Answer Executive A: “There are all kinds of reporting for look really at what you are trying to do and measure it. So if it is ATM usage you know every day how many people are using ATM and what are they are undertaking to obtain are getting cash or making a deposit. That is again a big plus working for a large company. The reporting is done, and it is done every minute, every day, and every month. And then we are getting those reports periodically not daily. And then you can see how this little branch compared to the world of chase operates. So we measure, for example, what Richmond Kentucky is doing what Chase corporate wants us to do”. Interview Question 3: How do you align the proposed changes to the changes both in the internal and external environments? Answer Executive A: “We do that by number one communicating what is needed to do and then the level of management brainstorms. In my level, we have leaders one step up, and they meet with us but then we kind of brainstorm as districts and what we want to do and making action plans. And when we work on the action plan we work for one to two weeks, and then we refer back to the results. Then we analyze if we did it and it worked good or not, or if it was too complicated and we refer go back to the table and think again about the plan. Or we did not execute right, and then you try again.” Interview Question 4: How does you organization measure the perception of all the stakeholders (i.e. employees, staff, and the consumers). Answer Executive A: “Once we developed the action plan we discuss that every day. So we have what we call a huddle every morning. It is short but in the huddle we always go back to the action plan. This is what we are doing; this is what our day looks like and we have a plan what everybody is going to do. Then during the day the managers are periodically seen, and we look that we are trying to do what we said to do.” Interview Question 5: How do you effectively address the stakeholder on the importance of the proposed changes? Answer Executive A: “This level is removed from me but as I know the management is just a reporting up from every branch. We got real time information. We hear if the stakeholders say anything, it is sent to us. So the communication with Chase is phenomenal. Plus we are so big we are in the press too. We are in the newspaper in the twitters it is just pretty huge for us. Positive and negative. I’m sure you heard some negative from time to time. We are just so big that we are dealing with this. We have the company who is dealing with all these issues, good, bad or ugly. But within the branch setting if someone is struggling with the plan you just have to talk one on one with them and sit with them and understand where they are struggling and if they are struggling see if they just do not have the capacity to do it or you have to show them how to do it. So the communication is the key whether it is coming from the top down or corporately or I am communicating with an employee. That’s the key to running a company and getting the change you want.” Interview Question 6 .How do you address the differences that may arise from the middle management? Answer Executive A: “Again it is communication. I have a regular relation with my middle manager. I do not have a problem with saying either I do not understand or I do not agree or I do not think this is the best way to go. But if you say something like this to the middle management you need to come with your idea. Like “I think it might be better if we do […].” My manager is open and honest to speak with me that way. An open dialogue about what might be the problem or issue what causes trouble.” Interview Question 7: How would you motivate employees with your leadership style? Answer Executive A: “First of all you have to have built confidence in you. So you have to be able to what we call “Show coach." So I need to be able to do what the company is asking to do and then I going to ask them to do it. But for them to have confidence in me and my directive they got to know that in crunch time I can do it. That’s part of it. I’m not a micromanager. I’m the manager for global surface within this branch. You try to hire employees that react to your style. That’s key number one: hire the right people. I’m blessed with it. We can sit and talk about the things what need to be done, and my group just does it.” Interview Question 8: How do you know which leadership style is the most appropriate for your company’s success? Answer Executive A: “I guess your results are doing it. So you either get it or you don’t or your group get complains or whatever. So I think it’s probably slightly measurable for you.” Interview Question 9: How do you develop mechanisms to detect whether the implementation of preferred changes is successful? Answer Executive A: ”I think you review it every day what you are trying to do. Communicate and share with your employees. Here is what we were trying to do yesterday. Here is where I think we might get a little short or we might have missed the boat, or we might need to work a little harder on this part of it. Let’s regroup. Let’s try this today and let’s see tomorrow how we do with that. It’s still that communication thing. Its measure your results, sharing your results and look what we can do better tomorrow.” Appendix B I pass my gratitude my supervisor for guiding me through the writing this report and the entire respondents who enabled me to have the working data. Appendix C Secondary sources Crom, Michael A, and Stuart R. Levine. (1994).The Leader in You: [how to Win Friends, Influence People, and succeed in a Changing World]. New York; Cambridge Publishers. Fogg, C. D. (1994). Team-Based Tactical Planning: A Entire Guide to Structuring, Facilitating, and Implementing the Process. New York: American Management Association. Goodman, Michael B. (1998). Corporate Communications for Executives. Albany: State University of New York Press. Ryan, Rosemary. (2008). Development: A Guide for Human Resource and Training Professionals. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. New York; Cambridge Publishers. Yukl, Gary A, and Richard Lepsinger. (2004). Leadership: Creating Assessment by Balancing Several Challenges and Choices. Oxford; Oxford Press. Shawn A. Smith, Rebecca A. Mazin, 1958, An Indispensible guide for Managers and Human Resource Professionals, 2nd edition New York, Amacom Books Afsaneh Navahandi, 2009. The Art and Science of Leadership, 5th Edition; Prentice Hall; New Jersey Read More