External Environmental Pressures at Wilders - Case Study Example

REPORT ON HOW TO MANAGE ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE BASED ON A CASE STUDY OF WILDERS  by   Department Proffessor’s Name Name of the University September 26th, 2011 Executive summary This is a report on how to manage organizational change at Wilders Department. With respect to the risky nature of change, it seeks to analyse challenges that managers might face while initiating changes in this department by identifying the nature and the need for change either by internal organizational pressures or external environmental pressures at Wilders. The report draws most of the approaches of managing change from Diagnostic, Change management, Kotter’s and Bolman & Deal"s Four Frame models of change. It has also forcussed on how and when these changes can be implemented at the Wilder’s department store without jeopardizing the future operations of the department. It recommends the development of a good action plan during the initiation of the changes at the department store, relevant theories and stages to adopt them and the appropriate strategies to apply. Methodology: This report is a product of an ambitious research done on various business and management information databases, journals and thorough consultation with different research agencies. Business databases and journals have the latest news on what is happening on the ground in all parts of the world as far as change and the implementation of change within an inclusive structure of an organisation is concerned. Research firms also came in handy because they have archived materials that were also usefulin coming up with this report. Introduction: As was espoused by Martin & Clay (2001), change can be defined as the process of shifting from the present state to a farsighted vision of things (to happen in the nearby future). Transition/change carries with it an element of fear of the unidentified/ unknown, which is often characterized by distress in people (Martin & Clay, 2004, p. 91). As such, change/transition should be carefully and skillfully managed. Change Management thereforewould refer to how to manage this change from its previous/old ways so that it becomes new and established. Change management can also be defined as a well-planned, organized and controlled method of alteration and changeover of teams, individuals and organizations from their current state of affairs to the future happenings (Mintrell 1999, p.87) It also refers to an organizational course of action intended to empower employees to admit andadoptnew changes in their areas of businesses. Within the context of managing projects, change management is said to be a process of management where alterations, modifications and adjustments to a given project are officially acquainted with and approved of (Mintrell (1999, p.87). Owing to the fact that change management involves a wide range of subjects, it continues to evolve as a result of further research on the discipline.Change and change management within the context of organizations should start with awell-organizeddiagnosis of the situation at hand so as to find out the need for and the range of abilities that can be organized to realize the envisaged changes without creating motivational barriers and other cracks within the organization. Benedict& Davies (1960) have claimed that “any efforts that are geared towards an effective and efficient attainment of desired ends associated with a change and management of the change should strive to line up different groups within the organisation with what is expected of them, should constantly communicate, integrate the teams, train and manage people”. It should also make use of measures of ascertaining progress in realizing the change such as through analysis of the efficiency in operations, results from financial analyses carried out, effectiveness in communication, commitment of the leadership team and the perceptible need for the change in coming up with suitable strategies so as to avoid failures likely to be encountered as a result of the change or to disentangle mysteries behind projects troubled by change(Benedict& Davies, 1960.p, 109-114). Hegel (2002), claimed that change, how to implement it, and its perceived benefits, have from time immemorial have been the chief considerations before coming up with any viable investment or organizational ventures, anywhere in the world(Hegel, 2002, p. 89). Change in any organization should be managed and it should not be knee-jerk.This report will therefore form an important and valuable reference point to those willing to effect various changes more so at departmental levels within their business entities, and in so doing eliminate motivational and environmental barriers that are likely to be created as a result of the change. Nature and the need for change at Wilders Department At the wilders department store, there seems to be a problem of efficiency in satisfying the ever-increasing demands of the customers for bicycles owing to the skyrocketing fuel prices and the approaching season of celebration where many parents buy a lot of bicycles for their children. The department foresees a situation whereby it will plunge into a deep sea of confusion when bicycles are not assembled in time, when there is lack of adequate storage space and the impending congestion at the cashier’s desk and eventually bad public relations experiences which may spoil the good name of the company.This kind of situation necessitates the need for the devising of change strategies that will see the department live up to its dreams hence creating a win-win situation for both the members of staff at the department and the company. This may therefore call upon the management to increase the number of man-hours per day or adopt stricter management practices so as to cope up with the demand, which may not be well with the other members of the department. Challenges that managers might face while initiating the change As Stewart Clegg, Martin Kornberger, and Tyrone Pitsis (2008) so perfectly describe it, “like bad habits, organizations are difficult to change” (Clegg, Kornberger &Pitis, 2008, p. 374). The energy, time and devotion required to change the ways operating and organizational behaviour of a group of people within Wilders department store indeed can be quite a daunting task. Therefore, the managers at the department are likely to be faced with the folowing challenges while implementing change at Wilders Department store. They include but are not limited to the following; Distinguishing features between and among different cultures that may be existing at the department may impinge negatively on decisions to be implemented since each and every culture will tend to view the decisions from conflicting points of view. This can present managers at the department with the daunting task of making all the cultures coherent first. The members of staff at the Wilders department store may not be eager to engage due to the fact that authority is distributed in a hierarchical manner. Difficulty in executing change management decisions especially when the members of staff are accustomed to the old approaches of doing things ie attachment to the old organizational culture. A general fear (because of the perceived negative effects and discomfort with uncertainity) and resistance to change People in the department may be afraid to discover and try out new technology especially when it comes to assembling bicycles simply because they are not certain about the outcome and the output in terms of the number of bicycles assembled per day, which may further worsen the situation at hand. Resistance here can be in form of affective(the way one feels) , behavioral(how people act and do things) either passively or actively and cognitive components (what they think about). As such people may be critical, fault finding, ridiculous, selectively use or distort facts, argue among other manifestations. People at Wilders may resist changes because of the belief that the changes being introduced might be inappropriate,disatisfaction with the way it is implemented or when the timing is wrong. Technology Learning newly introduced technological requirements at the department may be a daunting experience on the part of the implementers of the changes. This therefore presents the members of the department with a situation of having to learn something new every day and this may be a tall order for them. Being abreast with the latest technological requirements may also be an overwhelming experience especially for those who need an imaginative environment, for instance those in the field of marketing. Change theories and models Immense contributions with regard to theories on management of change have been made as manifested in the following models. Diagnostic Models An effectual diagnostic model provides for easy identification of suffcicient and reliable data that will come in handy in trying to understand better a company’s deficiencies, strengths, and advancement opportunities. This then provides for improvement, which later leads to articulation of a well targeted intervention and measurement strategy. To effectively improve performance in an organization, the managerial team must be well informed on qualitative and quantitative methods, along with different models of diagnosis so as to select the most appropriate method by forcusing on the laid down objectives, available resources organizational context and culture. When examining the strategies of implementing changes at Wilders, the diagnostic models of analysis(difference- intergration), force-field model of analysis, six-box model among others are the most appropriate. The analytical model puts a lot of focus on a methodical and thorough diagnosis as the basis for organizatioal change. Explicictly, this model was tailor-made to help understand better interdepartmental concerns through careful analysis of the main areas of problem. It therefore examines the structure of a department, time orientation of the members of the department, their interpersonal orientations and their orientations to the deisred organizational ends. (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p.79) It would therefore be the most appropriate model in this case because it would analyze the value each member of Wilders department would place on these values. This model can help the managers in the department in developing appropriate ways of working in unison despite the existence of any difference. Bolman & Deal’s Four Frame model This model firmly relies on four frame of structural, human resource, structural and symbollic frameworks when initiating change. Wilders department should use Bolman & Deal’s frames during the planning stage of the change since it will come in handy in diagnozing the needs at the department, the challnegs it is likely to face as a result of implementation of the change, and threafter devise the most appropriate action plan. It can also be adopted when reformulating initiatives of unsuccessful change. For successful initiation of change, all the four models should be brought on board. Change management model They forcus on what transpires when the organization is under change, strategies of dealing with misconceptions and truths of the change. Kotter’s Eight step process Kotter singled out 8 steps that should be taken by change managers so as to manage change effectively and successfully.These series of steps transforms into practice, the most successful theory of change management into practice. Kotter’s steps lie on the pedestal of good communication, which can be bolstered by empowerment of those within the organization and through focus. Upon successful execution of the change, it is of immense importance to bring on board new ways of doing things so that slipping into earlier habits. Monitory checks, feedback mechanisms and good intervention are therefore essential for a considerable amount of time after the transition has taken place. Strategies for managing change that could reasonably be considered at Wilders Department store The strategies for managing change in the department have been drawn from Kotter’s model, Diagnostic model , Change management model and Bolman & Deal’s Four Frame models of managing change. They include: Creation of a sense of urgent action- A feeling of urgency in actions would be of immense importance to uniting the department for change especially when the organization is almost sliding into the doldrums or insolvent as a result of bad relations with those in the public domain. The need for such actions should be clear and easily understood. Creating noticeable short-term wins-As a line manager or an implementer of change, you should strive to make people see the short-term beneficence of the change. For instance, by publicizing positive responses and criticisms so as to buoy up the staff hence they keep on embracing the newly introduced ways of operating. Communication-As has been espoused by many scholars, successful organizations spend most of their time communicating. As such, implementers and managers of change need to realize that effective and good communication within an organization may have the preponderant role in overcoming the obstacles associated with implementing change, for instance opposition to the change. Meaningful visions with cognitive and affective attributes, its relationship to mission and goals and a strategic plan of purpose should be communicated clearly and a reciprocal communication encouraged in an honest manner by paying particular attention to the nature and responsiveness to the change. The visions should not be too specific, vague, unrealsistic or inadequate. All levels and departments in the business should be involved in communicating the transition and make change stick. Creating a visionarycommitment and a common guideline- Bringing together the department solidly behind one central dream can be one of the key steps in which change can be engineered in the department. The vision in its own right, should be a reflection of the values and the philosophy of the business, should strive to help it in articulating its future hopes by driving the change agenda. The vision should play a key role in guiding behavior and in aiding the department towards the achievement of its desired ends. Deciding on the goals to be achieved by the change-Implementers of change and/or the management team at the department should begin by looking at the end in their minds i.e. what they want achieved, how to achieve it, how to establish if the desired ends of the change have been achieved, those affected, positively or negatively and how they respond to the change and how much they can do. Implementers therefore need to have a clear and vivid visionin managing the change so that people hear, see and feel the effects of the change.i.e. timely processing of customers’ requests etc. Consideration of Timing-It is incumbent upon the implementers of change to have in mind an opportune moment to set off the change.They should also be alive to the fact that a real and major change takes some time and hence they should provide for it. This is true because one may attempt rushing through a transition at a time when attitudes of the people may have not changed hence the effects of the change may weaken in the long run. Being aware of the existing culture-Most initiatives that are geared towards achievement of change fail most of the time because they reek of a serious lack of acknowledgement to the pervading cultural inclinations and “the way things are done” within that setting. When devising schemes geared at managing changes in the department, implementers of the change should strive to engage everyone in the department so as to help identify the existing web of culture within this business entity(Camnont & Walter ,2001,p.23). Inclusion-To do away with fear for change, it is important to take in other members of the department in the process of making decisions so as incorporate their thoughts and other inputs. Upon arrival to a conclusion, it is imperative to come up with a plan of any eventuality (contingency) so that there is flexibility in changing directions if the ends achieved were not the ones desired(Charles, 2008, p. 91-98). Analyzing the need for transition by the organization-Managers at the wilders department should have a nodding acquaintance with the way the business operates at this level by understanding its operations, its strengths and points of weakness, the way it operates within the context of its environment and how it might be affected (positively or negatively) by the changes that have been put forward so as to craft an efficient, effective and successful plan for implementation. Separating the current state of affairs of the department from the past-Making a clean break with the past would be critical to the emergence of a newly established realism. It will be quite daunting a task for Wilders department to adapt a novel vision for the future until it has set apart routines and structures that have become rudimentary. Supporting a powerful leading role-A powerful leading role would advocate for the creation of the vision of the department, motivate its employees so as to hanker after a dream and come up with an organizational arrangement that time and again rewards those who have endeared themselves towards actualizing the dream (vision). Wide base support-In order to scale the walls of success with a lot of rapidity, the department must incorporate a wide base support from the perceived beneficiaries of the change, whose acquiescence to any change item will be quintessential for the achievement of the desired change. Crafting an action plan-The accomplishment plan acts as additional bolts and nuts in carrying out the change. It is this plan of change that traces out efforts inflicted by identifying everything from the venues to convene meetings at and the corresponding dates by which the department hopes to realize the goals (Parker &Winslove, 1995, p. 67). Developing supportive structures-Alteration of the state of affairs and the creation of new ways of executing the change can have an important antecedent for the implementation of change and transformation. These structures can either be part of the present structure or may be established on their own. Such structures include but are not limited to reward schemes for the members of the department, programs for training and enlightenment, pilot studies among others. Conclusion The plan for an ideal change management should hanker into it smart objectives. The content and the process of the desired change should be well specified and should clearly stand out as important components of a well thought out plan of effecting and managing change within an organization/ business entity. This is true because emblematic scenarios will now be drifting alongside the newly implemented changes and/or change to a new system of managing performance. This therefore calls upon organizational managers to be more prudent and creative in thinking since the more planning and thought a manager devotes in implementing a given organizational change, then the less likely it is that the change will jeopardize organizational achievements. For the sake of Wilders, it is imperative that more than one model at different stages of managing change, for instance during the initiation and evaluation phases, the department should adopt Bolman & Deal’s Four Frame model. Recommendations i. Wielders department store should tactfully introduce change and manage it using the strategies mentioned earlier in this report. ii. All the members of the department should be rallied after the change so as to make it successful. iii. Good and proper communication and rapport be established and maintained during the implementation phase among others. Reference list Benedict, FW & Davies (1960) ‘Implementing business changes: The best strategies’, The Journal of change and management of change, vol. 5, no. 9, October, pp. 109-14. Change management theories (2007). [online] Available from (accessed 3rd August 2011) Camnont, M & Walter, J (2001), ‘Management: Implementing Management changes’, The South African journal of management, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 23 Charles, H. (2008) ‘Change Management: Achieving Affectivity and Efficiency’, The Journal of implementing organisational changes, vol. 2, no. 3, May, pp. 91-98. Clegg, S., Kornberger, M., & Pitsis, T. (2008). Managing and organizations: An introduction to theory and practice (2nd ed.). London: SAGE. 2008, p.374. Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2009). Organization development and change (9th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. 2009, p.79. Gwyn, S. (1992) Change. Harper Collins: 1992, p. 56 Hegel, R. (2002). Impacts of Change in an organization. London: Rutledge. 2002, p. 89. Martin & Clay (2001) Managing change. London: OUP. 2001, p.34 Mintrell (1999). Change Management theories and models. London: OUP. 1999, p, 87 Parker, T &Winslove. (1995). Change and management of change. New York: HarperCollins Juvenile. 1995, p. 67 Ten Commandments for Implementing Change (2007).[online] Available from Read More