Managing Organisational Change - Coursework Example

Managing Organisation Change Introduction Approaches to contemporary organisations change management have become multifaceted creating interests in depicting change management structures and practices by basing case studies on different organisations. On the other hand, there is need to assess organisations change management arguments citing different organisations before making what this study considers as viable change management structures for present and future organisations. Just like Todnem (2005) noted, if change management must be related to contemporary organisations, then the process of managing change is a theory of the relationship between managers and business. To contextualize this argument, organizational change management has become transformative where management attempt to find the best solution in their organisations based on challenges they are facing. Todnem (2005) looks at organizational change management as one of the critical challenges that affects the functionalities of organizations in the new century. Additionally, the operational structures of different organizations describe the extent of their structures for change management. All these have been brought by economic, social, political and legislative environment under which they operate. In view of these perspectives, this essay critically assess change management and how such can entail series of restructuring measures that bring organisation-fit attributes that enhances economic and social-environmental positions. Change management has been viewed as a planned process where organizations through their managers renew its different modalities of ensuring performance and efficiency in operations (Orlikowski, 2009). This is the position that has been held by Todnem (2005) however, he does this by assessing change management needs observation of the theories and challenges that have been reported in other organisations. While such are scholarly findings, managing change in an organization can be contextualized within Apple Company when Steve Chazin and Steve Jobs introduced strategic change management. An argument that Apple does not fall far from the tree then this point connects with Steve being part of the change management that introduced iMac to the market thus being able to promote the company’s profitability "getting from here to there" industry (Armenakis and Harris, 2009). Some of the questions that can be asked are ways in which an organization having little experience in retail categorized as the fastest in United States attaining annual sales of $1 billion. Armenakis and Harris (2009) saw Apple case as change management in an organisation where Steve Chazin and Steve Jobs introduced circle of satisfaction making organization a place worth purchasing from. The interests Steve Chazin and Steve Jobs had as far as organization change management is concerned are admirable approaches that managers do not dare take. In fact, just a few but prominent activists such as Carl Icahn and Peltz are the only ones who can join the list of Steve Chazin and Steve Jobs as corporate raiders in change management. Managing organization change is about applying different situational leadership theories. One of the theories that fit change management is the contingency theory. According to Fiedler (the theorist), there is lack of inclusive or proper approach leaders can adopt in the management of change. This is to mean that Fiedler through the theory did not believe on specific approach of guiding or managing organizational changes, different conditions in an organisation will definitely dictate different approaches of management of such changes which in turn depend on the needs of the organization. According to Hersey and Blanchard, situational leadership theory is essential in the development of approaches of organisation change management model or culture since managers or leaders will be aware that if one style of management works in a given culture and environment, the same style may prove futile or irrelevant in another environment or culture (Lawrence, Suddaby and Leca, 2011). The contingency theory can be contextualized within a given organization that has successfully managed change without relying on a given management approach. Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad’s Choosing Your Battles provides how change management in an organization is not about following a given management approach. Choosing Your Battles as applied by the company (Northern Santa Fe railroad) suggested finer details leaders should comprehend when dealing with workers from different socio-economic backgrounds. The case was about overreliance on old approaches of managing organization; logistics, scheduling which in turn created a great deal of conflict at Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad (Hahn et al. 2015). The company indeed introduced a number of leadership approaches of the company change management that helped the needed changed at Burlington Northern Santa Fe thus redefining its competitive position in their sector. This case is connected with findings that were made by Hornstein (2015) where the author found that having multidimensional approach to change management can improve performance. An understanding on the leadership knowledge and skill in management of change is critical not only for the turns of events in Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad business environment but because there is need to understand different management approaches that fit different management levels. For instance, there is a raging debate on transactional versus transformational leadership and how succinct they can cause conflict or whether they can applicable to a given management of change. However, in some cases it is about the culture in an organization, situational contexts or characteristics of a given leader that determines the conformance of transactional or transformational leadership while managing some changes. Organisation change management is the ability of managers to acknowledge change as unpredictable and discontinuous caused by a case where an organization is facing a crisis. It is for this reason that this study considers different models of change in an organization as a structure which can link main theories and approaches in assessing organisational change management. According to Wilden and Gudergan (2015), the three models are change characterized by occurrence, change characterized by the rate and change characterized by how it comes along. While Wilden and Gudergan (2015) models are useful in understanding change managements, the models may fail to acknowledge aspects such as business process re-engineering. With regard to these models and different approaches to change management in an organization, Derek Bison while working at Meatpack introduced what scholars have termed as ‘strategic application of models and theories in managing change’ (Helfat and Peteraf, 2015). Derek Bison introduced what he termed as Human Synergistics Circumplex to MeatPack.’ This was a high level change management whose consequence helped Meatpack move from its functional model to a product design model, which enabled alignments of its products with current demands in the market. It was noted that the strategic goals MeatPack set in 2002 was to become a 1 billion dollar company by 2020 (Helfat and Peteraf, 2015). This was to mean that the aim of the organisation in terms of strategic development was to reach even further improvement in service standards. Therefore, Human Synergistics Circumplex product design model resulted in focusing efforts and consolidating specific expertise around the product within the first five years after introducing the change. The change approach ultimately integrated well with the company’s need to shift its structure from a hierarchical organisation to a more horizontal organisation, with front-line workers having greater responsibility and accountability for their performance. There were three elements Derek Bison proposed that were able to dictate managers or leaders’ situation control. The elements were; Leader/member relations Task structure Positioning power Beginning with task structure, Derek Bison sought to develop an effective management culture to ascertain the extent to which roles are structured at MeatPack. Derek Bison felt that if they are unstructured or fairly structured then MeatPack was not going to increase the bargaining power of consumers, suppliers and buyers. With regard to positioning power and leader/member relations Derek Bison argued that if a manager is not aware how to balance power in a firm then the firm will fail in integrating new models and working within the realm of theoretical frameworks (Helfat and Peteraf, 2015). Derek Bison approach to managing organization change relates to Steve Jobs who borrowed ideas from companies such as Sony and Xerox and famously adopting the motto “Good artists borrow. Great artists steal.” Conclusion The aim of this assessment was to critically appraise organizational issues and specifically analyse different approaches and theoretical frameworks managers have adopted in the management of organization change. Based on different case studies and theories adopted the assessment has established point of convergence in several otherwise diverse approaches to the theories and approaches of change management in an organization. Therefore, it is worth concluding that change management should encompass a situation where managers repeatedly sense, monitor and respond to issues in small step but as an ongoing process so as to be able to integrate workers or employees to conform to new requirements of an organization. In light of the case studies provided, there is not practicable approach to change management instead, integration of these approaches seems to be practical and appropriate. References Armenakis, A. A., & Harris, S. G. (2009). Reflections: Our journey in organizational change research and practice. Journal of Change Management, 9(2), 127-142. Hahn, T., Pinkse, J., Preuss, L., & Figge, F. (2015). Tensions in corporate sustainability: Towards an integrative framework. Journal of Business Ethics, 127(2), 297-316. Helfat, C. E., & Peteraf, M. A. (2015). Managerial cognitive capabilities and the microfoundations of dynamic capabilities. Strategic Management Journal, 36(6), 831-850. Hornstein, H. A. (2015). The integration of project management and organizational change management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), 291-298. Lawrence, T., Suddaby, R., & Leca, B. (2011). Institutional work: Refocusing institutional studies of organization. Journal of Management Inquiry, 20(1), 52-58. Orlikowski, W. J. (2009). The sociomateriality of organisational life: considering technology in management research. Cambridge Journal of Economics, bep058. Todnem By, R. (2005). Organisational change management: A critical review. Journal of change management, 5(4), 369-380. Wilden, R., & Gudergan, S. P. (2015). The impact of dynamic capabilities on operational marketing and technological capabilities: investigating the role of environmental turbulence. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(2), 181-199. Read More