Example of C721 Change Management Task on Organizational Life Cycle
In this studying task C721 Change Management the essay seeks to explore organizational life cycle model, differences between a learning organization and traditional organization and more.
There is a need for change in the company presented in the scenario and it can be easily explained using the organizational life cycle model. It is apparent that the company is in stage five of the organizational life cycle model. Stage five of the model means growth is being shown through collaboration, leadership, and management. Stage five is needed for a company to grow and thrive. The company currently being discussed shows evidence that the company is in a phase in which it needs its employees to interact amongst each other to enhance the company as it moves into other regions of the world. Therefore, this company is indeed in stage 5 proven by the evidence given.
There are vast differences between a learning organization and traditional organization. Learning organizations work together as a whole unit and individual units. There are specialties within the organization that requires individual work, but in the end everyone works together for the whole organization. As an overall organization learning organizations promote a creative environment that allows individuals to grow and learn. The organization is also relatively flat in structure compared to that of a traditional organization. Traditional organizations does not have a lot of growth due to people assuming positions and staying in them. They also follow more of a pyramid structure having solley one person in charge and trickle down from there.
The company is at the mature organization level, which is the third stage of the Woolner’s 5 Stage model. What this means is the organization has realized that learning is an imperative of the company’s growth and development
The company has started to branch out and reach the global market level. The manufacturing company now faces many new challenges in forign markets, especially since there are only 500 employees amongst the company. Along with having few employees the company also faces poor training and an inadequate inventory management system. Poor training prohibits the company from knowing how to handle certain problems that may arise. The inventory management system is ancient and does not allow for maximum proficiency. Therefore with these contributing factors the company appears to be in the third model of Woolner’s five stages. At this point it would be in the company's best interest to adapt a learning culture. By adapting a learning culture, the company can take more time for training with new methods help meet goals.
In order to become a learning organization, follow Senge’s 5 disciplines; Shares Vision, System Thinking, Mental Models, Team Learning, and Personal Mastery. In first transitioning to a learning organization the company would interact amongst each other to get one shared vision for the entire company. By finding one common vision, employees are more adept to do things because they want to and not just because they are told to. Now with a reformed vision the company can begin working on system thinking. System thinking should be applied to the company starting at the top management level and trickling down to the lowest level. Management will have to first address any and all issues that do not coincide with the newly found Shared Vision. It appears that the companies biggest issues seem like employee development and progressing. Next, personal mastery can be achieved through efficiently implementing programs that will give employees incentives to increase involvement. As more employees become engaged through incentives mental moods will increase therefore increasing company morale to overall encourage a learning organization. It as at this point the overall company will acquire a unified vision that will lead the company in the direction they are trying to achieve.
It appears that when looking at the Balogun and Hope-Hailey Model the company is in the reconstruction quadrant therefore putting them in the big bang nature of change resulting with needing realignment.
Big bang suits the nature of change due to the rapid growth the company has experienced in the past ten years. The worth of the company has increased tremendously along with the number of employees that are now world wide. Realignment is needed due to the rapid increase of employees that have been poorly trained and the overall morale of the company.
The manufacturing company has several changes that need to be made to the action research model in order to assist with their current situation. The first step is to compile the preliminary diagnosis this is when the company will evaluate and decide what the main issues are. Second, Feedback needs to be presented to the company. The feedback is information that was discovered when digging into the main issues. Thirdly, collaboration needs to take place and decide on appropriate action steps. The fourth and last step is to implement. Implement is the step in which the actual change is enforced and happens. It is after this that real change will take place.
By implementing the exploration innovation strategy, the company will use current employees and bring them into positions that make them feel valued. The strategy allows all employees to be a part of the solution by changing each persons’ mindset the whole companies mindset will change. Therefore, the company as a whole would have a new mindset and heading in the right direction to be a learning organization.
The first four steps of the Kotter’s 8-step model forces a much needed solid foundation. The four steps are to increase urgency, create a vision, eliminate obstacles, and make the change. In order to get things done in a timely manner it is imperative to set a tone of urgency. Creating a vision, is important to for the whole company. It is the direction the company will take as a whole driving them towards a learning environment. Eliminating obstacles, is important for the success of the company going in a new direction. If there are people or procedures in place that deter the company from going in a new direction. Making the change is when everything has fallen in place and all other steps have been taken at this point new rules and ideas are instilled to drive the newly found culture the company is attempting to create.
The five pillars of sustainable change are leadership, strategy, culture, structure, and systems. Each role plays a significant part in helping the company shift to a learning organization. Leadership is the first pillar and it represents the leaders of the company that will drive the shift of the company with an action plan and new vision in hand. The next pillar is strategy. Strategy will come into action when the team begins to develop an action plan. The third pillar is culture. Culture is one of the most important pillars. There can be massive change or stagnation throughout the company. Next is structure, where change begins to take place. Barriers are broken and new lines of communication are formed throughout the company causing unity to occur. The final pillar, systems, is the reinforcer to the whole change. When all five pillars are initiated and carried out, the company will run more efficiently and have a strong foundation that will not only assist but encourage the transition into a learning organization.
