Once you have completed all assigned readings and discussions, which is an open-reference consisting of three short-answer essays based on Chapters 1–12 of your assigned textbook. The essays are as follows: 1. Describe the creative and rational process of change along with how change impacts an organization and the employees within it. 2. Provide an overview of the internal and external pressures that force change in an organization and how the role of management affects this process. 3. Resistance to change can paralyze an organization. Examine the reasons organizations resist change, and present one strategy an organization should consider to reduce the organization’s resistance to change. Remember: • This is an open-referenc eexcercise. You may use any resources you need to provide adequate details in presenting your point of view in your responses. However, all work must be your own, and you may not consult with other people. • Your submission should be 1–2 pages in length, double-spaced, with proper citations and references, as per the APA format and writing style (6th edition). • Submit your exam in Assignments by the end of Module 8. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your course instructor. Submissions will not be accepted after the course has ended.

 

Problem Solving Activities.

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QUESTION 1

Change is simply doing something in a new way, that is, a different way from the previous one. It could be environmental change or organizational change. An organizational change implies to the internal shifts made in a company to respond to the visible changes. The degree of the change could be a creative or rational process. The creative process involves thinking and creative decisions by the employees of a company while rational process involves internal shifts or changes in an organization. For a change to occur in an organization, the systems must be unfrozen, and the change will last if the systems are refrozen (Bertschek & Kaiser, 2004). Some organizational changes should be restructured, and this leads to significant life changes for the employees. Some changes like salary increase, or free incentives or free retraining of workers increase the employee motivation and hence the company production increases. Other changes like pay cuts, loss of benefits, overworking the employees affect the organization and the staff negatively. The organizational changes happen for a reason, could be financial issues or market expansion. They are difficult for employees to adapt and should be taken before implementing them.

QUESTION 2

Internal forces that force an organization to change include new management, new staff, restructuring of the organization, and entrepreneurship. External forces include globalization, new legislation, new technology, competition from other companies, and macroeconomics. Managers and supervisors are the closest people to the employees who need to adapt to the change. Their role is crucial, and if not done well, it could lead to a total organizational failure (Bertschek & Kaiser, 2004). They need to do a few things to carry out their change roles. One, they should communicate clearly about the modification to their subordinates. They should explain to them what the change is all about, why it is important and what it means to the employees. Two, they should demonstrate full support for the modification. Third, they should train and coach the staff about the change. Fourth, they should identify and manage resistance. Lastly, they should make follow ups, and support the project team.

QUESTION 3

Company leaders should be aware and prepared for resistance to change from their employees. If they are well prepared, then they can well manage the resistance and achieve their goals in the end. Reasons that could lead to employee resistance to change is the lack of understanding about the cause for change and when the information about the change is not clear. The employees could be afraid of unknown consequences in future, that is fear of the unknown. Some staff members will resist because of lack of competence. Change involves a change of skills, and some employees are not willing to face the challenge (Bommer, Rich  & Rubin, 2005). Lack of confidence by the employees about the company and if it can handle the change well. The staff could have a belief that the change is a temporary fad and resist the change. If the team is not involved in the modification process, then they can resist. Poor communication leads to resistance too. People can resist change if it means change from their comfort zones. If the process is exhaustive and tiresome, then the employees will try to resist because they are not motivated. If the modification involves changes in one status quo, then some people will resist if they fill they are going to lose or lower their status or if they think the change favors s another group. If there are no benefits or rewards foreseen for the modification, then people will resist.

 

References

Bertschek, I., & Kaiser, U. (2004). Productivity effects of organizational change: microeconometric evidence. Management science, 50(3), 394-404.

Bommer, W. H., Rich, G. A., & Rubin, R. S. (2005). Changing attitudes about change: Longitudinal effects of transformational leader behavior on employee cynicism about organizational change. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 26(7), 733-753.