Surface Pro Offered by Microsoft Company - Case Study Example

Change analysis Student’s Name: Course Code: Tutor’s Name: Date of Submission Change analysis Introduction Change is the process of becoming different. In businesses today change has become inevitable due to the increasing technological advancement is the advancements (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015). A very good example of such a technological advancement is the introduction and development of some technologies by the Computer Company Microsoft. These technologies include the new ‘multi-touch, multi-user' Microsoft Surface device to industry clients that has been developed by the company (Tobias n.d.). However necessary change can be in the process of progress, it can also be catastrophic (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015). This paper will analyse change due to the development of Microsoft technologies in a restaurant business located near the Surfers Paradise beach. The restaurant specialises in grill menus as well as seafood. It has twenty waiters and four shift managers. Surface Pro, one of the technologies being offered for sale by the Microsoft Company can be very beneficial to businesses such our restaurant. With the new design, these technologies will help the business in storing more data regarding the business (Calif, 2007). Tobias (n.d.) says that the most versatile laptop such as surface pro, managers will be able to store data regarding the workers as well as the business itself. The data may be used in future to make the business make important decisions that will increase its competitive advantage. The gadgets will also help in keeping the data safe without possible losses of the data. Use of the various, specific software installed in the gadgets will help the restaurant in tracking their documents as well as files relating to their business operations (Calif, 2007). This will make the restaurant track its performance and make the output better than their competitors who don’t use the technology. The laptops and tablets also store a large amount of data which is accessible in times of need. Laptops and tablets from the Microsoft technologies will help the managers as well as waiters to be sufficient (Calif, 2007). Some tasks that would have been otherwise outsourced will be performed by the gadgets in the restaurant. Accounting programs in the gadgets together with online tax programs will help the managers in preparing their own taxes hence making the restaurant self-sufficient (Tobias, n.d.). The kitchen staff will also be at an advantage. They will use the technologies in accessing more cooking methods as well as menus that will attract more customers in the restaurant. The online connection will also help the staff in getting customers' reviews and make them more satisfied. This Microsoft technology will also help the restaurant's management in saving on their staff payroll as well as office equipment. With the high processor the Intel third-generation Core i-5 1.7 Ghz with 4 GB of ram, the restaurant will be able to save time when doing its operations (Calif, 2007). Different workers in the restaurant will benefit differently from surface pro laptop and tablets being offered by the Microsoft Company. Waiters in the restaurant will have the opportunity to use the laptops as well as tablets to research on the best ways they can serve customers for more satisfaction (Microsoft, 2017). The new technology provides slim and easily portable devices. This will help the waiters as they can carry the devices home and use them during their free time for the betterment of the restaurant. The devices will also help the attendants to interact with their customers as well as the management through the internet. As they interact, they will learn more on the customer needs as well as the restaurant expectations (Calif, 2007). The technologies will also help the waiters in storing relevant data that can be used by the management for improving the services offered by the restaurant. This will help the management in putting down important strategies for customers’ attraction (Microsoft, 2017). The kitchen staff will also benefit in knowing the tastes and preferences of their customers. This will help them in preparing delicious menus that will attract more customers and the business will raise its competitive advantages. According to Microsoft (2017), the devices will also assist the kitchen employees in interacting with other workers in the restaurant to enhance teamwork and therefore make the business better (Calif, 2007). In the long run, the business will leap to the highest due to continuous use of the technologies. Employees will be at a point to learn more about the hospitality industry and the restaurant’s profitability more. Continued installation of the technologies will also make work easier for the waiters as well as other employees in the restaurant (Microsoft, 2017). Customers will also be in a position to place their orders using the technology without getting the waiters walk to them. Payments may also be made easier as customers may use their credit cards to pay for services as well as food ordered without having to pay cash. This technological advancement will also reduce movements in the dining area of the restaurant (Tobias, n.d.). The more conducive environment will, therefore, be realised making the restaurant better than others in the same industry. The same gadgets may be used for marketing. Marketing helps in attracting more customers and retain the old ones. Due to the technological advancements, many customers may be having access to the internet at their homes. If the restaurant uses the technologies from Microsoft Company to advertise the business, many customers will get the information and increase the sales (Calif, 2007). Efficiency and effectiveness will increase due to the use of the new technologies. Efficiency here may come in several ways. Handling money will be centralised in such a way that unfaithful employees will not have an opportunity to handle cash. This will prevent possible fraud or corruption to take place in the restaurant as cash will be handled by authorised employees with the use of the gadgets (Calif, 2007). The introduction of these technologies will enhance and help in unleashing workers’ creativity in the restaurant (Calif, 2007). Employees’ creativity and innovation will be well developed because their business ideas regarding the restaurant will be converted into real results in the business. The technology will help share the workers’ ideas and incorporate them when making decisions for the restaurant to achieve some set goals and objectives (Microsoft, 2017). Surface Pro will help in the process of idea development and the outcomes of the business will be made better in the restaurant. Ideas originating from various employees will be developed, shared and turned into something that is real (Tobias, n.d.). The designing of these technologies have catered for these processes well. A very good example is the Surface, running Windows 10 and Office 365 which will help in each and every step of turning the idea into something important and helpful to the business (Microsoft, 2017). These technologies will also help in securing the restaurant in the connected world today. Security is equally important as it ensures that the business’s assets are safeguarded well for use in the future. These technologies will enhance cloud-based control on all the devices as well as the information by the users, therefore, achieving higher levels of security. The technology will play a major part in increasing creativity as well as teamwork in the restaurant. Creative ideas from the workers as well as owners are usually turned into great ideas with the help of the technologies from Microsoft Company (Calif, 2007). Adoption and usage of the new technology may face resistance from the various stakeholders of the restaurant. Workers may resist the new technological changes due to the view that they will they will waste considerable time in learning how to use the gadgets (Kotter, 2007). The employees may also be against the change since it will alter the way of work they have been used to. The other will fear to lose their status in the restaurant and therefore resist embracing the new technology. Other may feel their job security has been tampered with by the introduction of the new technology and the fear of elimination will make them resist (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015). Employees in the restaurant may lack motivation or considerable reward when embracing the technological change. Al-Haddad, S. and Kotnour (2015) argue that this may tamper with their willingness to accept the change and make them resist. Fear of the unknown may also make employees, as well as owners of the restaurant, resist the technological change. Owners may not be in the position to tell whether the new technology will be beneficial to the restaurant or not (Kotter, 2007). This may make them resist as they may fear to lose as a result of the change. Owners may also be involved in organisational politics which may result in resistance to the technological changes. This comes as just a political strategy aimed at showing the people involved in the change are not up to the task. Fear of failure may also be a cause of resistance by the owners of the restaurant as well as the employees (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015). Owners may fear to lose their investment as a result of technological changes in the restaurant. This may delay the incorporation of the new gadgets due to fear which in this case will be the motivator of failure. Climate mistrust may also cause the organizational change to fail. If the stakeholders fail to trust one another, it will be hard to implement technological changes in the restaurant (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015). The restaurant may also fail to realise change from the new technologies due to poor communication among the different stakeholders ranging from the owners, management as well as the employees. For the restaurant to reduce the conflict and uncertainty in adopting the technological changes, it can adopt Kotter 8-Step Change Model. This will help in the proper implementation of the changes and introduction of the new technologies from Microsoft Company. The model involves eight distinct steps that may be taken by the company or the restaurant for successful implementation of the change (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015). In the first step, the restaurant management is supposed to create urgency in implementing the technological changes. This will be successful by first showing that the restaurant needs the technologies urgently for it to improve its profitability. Secondly, the restaurant needs to come up with a guiding coalition of individuals who are effective in guiding, coordinating and communicating the activities of adopting the new technologies. In this step, all stakeholders need to be convinced of the importance of the change. These will include the waiters, kitchen staff as well as the owners of the restaurant (Kotter, 2007). The restaurant is then supposed to come up with a vision that is strategic together with initiatives to be taken. Here the management is supposed to show other stakeholders that the future of the restaurant will be better if they adopt the new technological changes. The initiatives taken should be highly linked to the vision of the restaurant (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015. The fourth step will be to communicate the vision to the relevant stakeholders in the restaurant followed by removal of any obstacles that may affect the implementation. Here the stakeholders must be urged to drive change by learning the benefits of incorporating the technological changes in the restaurant. Creation of short-term wins will definitely follow bearing in mind that success will motivate the workers (Kotter, 2007). Here the management can set short term targets to be met within a short period of time. This may be like attracting twenty more customers within the first week of using the technology. If the target is achieved, workers will be more motivated to embrace the change. After that, the restaurant may now build on the change to be achieved in the long run rather than a short period of time. Long-term goals and objectives may now be set with the aim of making the restaurant better (Al-Haddad and Kotnour, 2015. Finally, the restaurant will have to Anchor the changes in corporate culture. This is where the technologies from Microsoft will become part of the restaurant. Conclusion In conclusion, the gadgets being offered by Microsoft company can be of great importance to the staff, owners as well as the management of a restaurant. The technologies will help in making the restaurant better by attracting more customers, enhancing creativity and innovation as well as creating a better environment for the restaurant business. However, there are likely to be some resistance from the staff and the owners of the restaurant. These may originate from the fear of the unknown as well as organisational politics among others. The resistance can be dealt with if the restaurant's management adopts Kotter 8-Step Change Model that will help to speed up the technological changes in the restaurant. References Al-Haddad, S. and Kotnour, T. 2015, Integrating the organisational change literature: a model for successful change, Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 28 Issue: 2, pp.234-262, Calif, C. (2007, May 29). Microsoft Launches New Product Category: Surface Computing Comes to Life in Restaurants, Hotels, Retail Locations and Casino Resorts, Microsoft News Centre, retrieved from https://news.microsoft.com/2007/05/29/microsoft-launches-new-product-category- Kotter, J. (2007). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review, 1-10. Retrieved from, http://www.hbr.org. Microsoft, 2017, How technology helps SMBs to maximise the value of ideas, retrieved from, https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/devices/business/small-business Tobias, M. C. n.d., Why You Want The Microsoft Surface Pro (And Why You Don't), Forbes, retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcwebertobias/2013/04/05/why-you-want-the-microsoft-surface-pro-and-why-you-dont/#127275f076aa Read More