Identifying and Describing Key Issues Affecting Change in Organizations
The main purpose of this task is to provide a brief overview about the change management and its concepts. Change management is a significant concept that helps in maximizing the revenue and returns of the firm. Furthermore, it also discuses about key issues that affect change management process within the organization. Effects of change drivers, theories, principles and concepts of change management also have been discussed in the task briefly. The essay therefore gives a clear view how the strategies of change management can be effective while planning for the change in the organization.
According to Graetz & Smith (2010), change management is a framework for handling and managing the effects of new business processes and procedures to attain long term objectives and goals. Deszca, Ingols, and Cawley (2012) stated that organizational change management refers to those changes that are brought in the organization for its development. These changes are done to meet the daily needs of the public effectively and efficiently. These are the necessary changes that have to be made while running the business. These are made for the welfare of the business. These are the necessary changes that help the organization to grow and achieve its target effectively and efficiently (Hall, Daneke & Lenox, 2010). These changes are made by the professionals who analyze the areas that need to improve in the organization and plan the necessary improvement by making proper strategies (Hokerts & Wustenhagen, 2010). These changes are considered to give a positive impact on the ultimate results as the changes made are advanced and a step forward from the previous one. They provide a new way in processing the business (Velazquez, Esquer & Munguia, 2011). With the change of the management the nature of the business also changes. The customer relations are changed as well which helps in developing more clients. It helps in preparing the company for further changes, principles, issues and functions (Korten, DeCaluwe and Geurts, 2010). The making of new changes allows the organization to develop their framework and compete with its competitors actively. Today the development of new technologies has taken place (Waddell, Cummings & Worley, 2011). These technologies are updated regularly and this ultimately creates companies to make changes in the organization frequently. The new changes welcome the technology which helps in running the business without wasting any time. Making an effective change becomes a challenge for the company.
Effects of Change Drivers on Change Strategies
The key issues affect the most in the functioning of the organization. It becomes a hurdle in the running of business. The major issues or problems seen in an organization include the following:
Doppelt (2010) analyzed that the cultural issues relate to the background on which the company is build and developed. These issues possess the behavior, customs, ideas and beliefs of the organization. It creates the problem due to lack of understanding in the employees, differentiating on the basis of culture and opinion (Fullan, 2014). These cultural issues raise questions in the minds of the employees which results in lack of proper functioning by them. With the change in the organization, the culture of the business also changes. The cultural issues seen in an organization directly shows its impact on the image of the business. It harms the atmosphere of the business and can sometime lead to disharmony among the employees (Birkland, 2015).
Social issues are those issues which show its influence on the society. The changes made in an organization are sometimes not appropriate for the society. These issues do not provide good advantage to the society which creates complex situation for the organization in maintaining its relations with the society (Fullan, 2014). These societal issues become a major problem between an organization and its clients. Company is unable to meet the needs and requirements of the society due to the changing environment of the business. Hence it becomes difficult for them to run the business in an effective manner as society becomes a concern for them.
North (2012) stated that economic issue is one of the significant factors that may affect the goodwill and image of the company adversely. Economic issues are those issues which add to the cost of business. It deals with the lack of resources and loss incurred by the business in a financial year. The changes done in the organization sometimes have to face economic issues which reflect on the growth and development of the business. Though these issues have no connection with its clients directly but the company has to meet the demands of the clients to meet the profits (Alvesson and Sveningsson, 2015).
Sustainability issues relates to the depletion of natural resources so that ecological balance can be maintained in a proper manner. Changing management creates problems in sustaining the natural resources as it reduces the amount of resources to be used in the business functions. The lack of resources therefore makes it hard to run the business effectively and efficiently.
Major Theories, Principles and Concepts of Change in Organizations
The technological issues are the technical problems faced by the organization because of the software and machines. Each and every organization today use technology as it is an advance approach of working. The technical changes can relate with software corruption, high cost packages, theft, etc. These issues can result in losing the necessary information stored on a computer or any technological device (Cameron and Green, 2015).
A driver in an organization is someone who is involved in the change management process. These change drivers can include customers, human resource, competitors, management, etc. These are mainly the contributors who contribute to the process of organizational change management. The strategies made in the changing process have the direct impact on these elements of business. Change drivers are of two types; internal change drivers which involves dissatisfaction in employees, capabilities, resources, inventions and desires and external change drivers which includes customers, competitors, investors, technology and government. The internal change drivers may have positive or negative impact on the organization due to the change strategies. The strategies in comparison to these drivers can be effective if the employees are satisfied else the results can be worse. External change drivers on the other hand become the part of these change strategies as they are involved in the process of change management. These drivers include awareness among customers, change in lifestyle, changing interest of retailers, innovative approach towards marketing, and change in technology, etc. These drivers are compared to the change strategies with the involvement of business. These drivers want to go parallel to the needs of its customers and members. The effect of change drivers can be largely seen in the leadership style. Change drivers communicate to understand the relationship of an individual. The contribution of change drivers in the management change process has been immense. Without change drivers the making of change strategies is useless. These internal and external change drivers differentiate them and make it easy to implement strategies. Every organization today requires new and advanced technologies for which they have to make proper and planned strategies. Technology being the change drive therefore shows direct impact on the organization by influencing the change strategies. In this way the effect of change drivers can be seen through change strategies.
According to Burke (2017), theory of Kotter is considered an important theory for the organization. It includes eight stages which include increasing urgency, team building, correct vision, and proper communication, active participation, focusing on short term goals, not giving up easily and changing in incorporation. The theory is considered in accepting the changes made in the organization rather than changing them. By motivating and encouraging a sense of urgency for organizational change and maintaining that momentum. This model helps in accepting ample of organizational changes in the workplace (Doppelt, 2017).
Presenting Learning in Individual and Team-Based Formats
The Lewin’s theory also focuses on the changing management process of the organization. Cummings, Bridgman and Brown (2016), stated that this model talks about the three stages; unfreeze, change and refreeze. It prepares the organization for the upcoming changes and to accept those changes without creating any conflict. The employees work on the new changes made in the company by understanding about them from the professionals.
One of the most important theory considered in an organization is ADKAR theory which focuses on the reaching the desired goal (Parker et al, 2013). The theory involves accepting the changes made for the welfare of the organization and work on it to meet the goal. ADKAR model is stands for:
Awareness: It is necessary to adopt the changes in the workplace.
Desire: Wish to participate in and provide support the change.
Knowledge: It is essential to manage the changes.
Ability: Capability to initiate the change.
Reinforcement: It is required to sustain various organizational changes.
Principles of change in an organization
Principles of change in an organization involve proper functioning of the business by the employees and other members of the business. These principles are effective and help in running the business effectively. The organization must interact with each and every employee and keep an eye on their activity (Drucker, 2012). They should plan the strategies in an appropriate manner. This will help them in achieve their targets and meeting the goals. The principles also involve making good contacts with the outside world to increase the production overseas. Following the principles properly give an opportunity to understand the needs of the business and to implement good strategies to it. These principles help in leading the company on the top and builds reputation. Being creative with the thoughts is one of the most important principles during change process (Drucker, 2012). It gives an innovative approach to understand the problem and carry out an effective solution that will serve for a long time. The other principles of change management include lead with the culture, engage, involve every layer, start at the top and make the emotional and rational case together. These principles are the pillars of the organization which gives these organizations a chance to meet the trendy needs of the clients and the customers. Understand the issues of the employees which make them go through difficult situation and motivate them to overcome those problems (Drucker, 2012). This will initiate effective working in the business. Involving each and every member of the organization during the decision making process is one of the necessary thing that an organization must include. Active participation of the employees in decision making will open them and help them in interacting in a free mood with their superiors and other professionals. This will also give more and better ideas to the organization on the selected issues. Engaging yourself in the work related to the company helps in the functioning of business. It helps in digging more and more on the related matters and ultimately allowing the employee to come up with great and effective idea that will promote the business in a standard way (Alvesson and Sveningsson, 2015).
Developing Generic Skills for Critical Thinking, Teamwork and Communication
Concepts of change management in the organization include the following:
Communication strategy is an important concept that floats on the top of any business operating organization. Communication is a necessary tool that should effectively be presented in the organization. the communication is a two way process and therefore to run a business it is important to have professional approach while speaking and talking on business related matters. Communication is seen as a strategy to promote business by increasing contacts and developing the status by communicating in a proper manner (David, 2011).
Culture is another concept of change management that keeps the interest of the employees and members going in the business. The concept of culture helps in contributing the belongingness with the business. It makes the employees feel like home and therefore they put their best efforts to meet the goal. A proper culture of the organization helps in making proper interaction between the workers (David, 2011).
Mitigation of risk is an empirical and vital concept of change management. Every organization has to face the risks that are been generated during the business process. The concept of risk mitigation must be monitored every time. This will make the business aware about the risks and they will be warned by the upcoming problems. Keeping an eye on the upcoming risks will enable the management to be ready with the solutions and dilute the risks (Doppelt, 2010).
On the above mentioned limelight event it is concluded that change management is an essential part of the each and every organization that helps in uplifting the profitability and outputs. The paper also outlines issues, concepts and principles of change management. The paper showcases the ideas of how change management is useful and essential. The models/ theories of change management have been discussed in the task widely. The essay shows that change management in every organization should be taken into consideration on a regular basis. It is recommended that the organization should focus on the training and development coaching to enhance the change management within the organization. Along with this, the managers should maintain reciprocal relationship with employees effectively and efficiently.
References
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Waddell, D., Cummings, T., & Worley, C., 2011. Introduction Organisational Change: Development and Transformation (pp. 2-23). South Melbourne: Cengage Learning