Understanding Change Management Theories And Models For Effective Organizational Planning - Essay.

Students need to research current change management theory (minimum 3 theories) by:

Researching a range of current academic journal articles related to change management,

Explaining clearly what current research literature is saying about change management,

Clearly interpreting it to demonstrate understanding and be able to explain what it means in terms of today’s organisations,

Drawing supported conclusions as to the validity of current change models.

Students need to format their research, analysis and conclusions into a professionally presented, 2000 words report.

Significance and role of change management

The main motive of this paper is to outline and explain the significance and role of change management. A brief literature on change management has been explained in the task. Change can be any type of such as structure, reward systems, systems, work designs and reporting relationships. Along with this, the paper also discuses change management theories that help to adopt ample of organizational changes in the organization. More detail of the task has been discussed below.

Change management is an organized and unique strategy to dealing with the transformation and transition of a company’s processes, technologies and goals. The main aim of the change management is to initiate strategies and approaches for effecting change, helping people and controlling change to adapt to change. Anderson and Anderson (2010) stated that change management is the obedience that assists how citizens prepare, support, and equip individuals to successfully and efficiently adopt the change to drive organizational results and growth. The change management renders a structured approach for managing and supporting the individuals in the organization to shift from their own current states to their own future states. According to Cameron and Green (2015), change management is a method, process and tool to handle the people side of change to attain the desired business results and outcomes. In other words, change management incorporates the managerial methods and tools that may be used to provide help the individuals make effective personal transitions outcomes in the implementation and understanding of change.

Change management may also be defined as a collective term for all approaches and strategies to prepare and provide support teams, companies and individuals in making organizational change (Prosci, 2018). Mainly, change management focuses inwards on the company and people as well within the organization and it can be defined as continuous process. Change management further refers to the acceptance of a process, idea, though, opinion, behavior and process that is innovative and unique to an organization. Cummings and Worley (2014) highlight the needs and requirements for managerial change to handle with environmental pressures and to attain the objectives and goals of continuous development and survival. On the other hand, Burke (2017) argues that change is necessary to cope with unpredicted shifts in the organizational environment. Change management is very complex strategic task in any company. In many cases, managers and leaders are liable for the formulation and initiation of change. It is noted that change managers need to be proactive in eliminating and minimizing the amount of resistance by having the plan to overcome resistance ready. Change management may be result in the organization of external and internal factors. It is quite complex to determine how change management can be sustained and initiated in the firm effectively and successfully. It is analyzed that organizational change is uncertain, difficult and complex process that requires careful and effective analysis and planning.

Current Change Management Theories

After the various analysis, it is noted that change management is a tool and framework structured across the changing capabilities, needs and wants of the firm. Change management theory and model is used to adopt, prepare and initiate significant and radical organizational changes including its policies, rules, culture, procedures, employee roles, and processes. Apart from this, change management strategy also plays a significant and vital role to accomplish the desired targets and objectives. A change management strategy explains specific ways in which a company will address such things as changes in the inventory requirements, supply chain and scheduling.

In today’s era, change management is becoming an effective and dynamic part of each and every organization. Change management helps in increasing performance and productivity of the workers and further, it reduces costs and resistance to change within the organization (Burke, 2017). Let’s talk about an example, At Nokia Company the major and significant organizational change happened with the execution of “Booster programme” in the year 2008. This programme was introduced seeking at the ever changing customer expansion and aspirations of unique and innovative technologies among the competitors. This booster programme helped in generating new employment in the organization thus, the company had been able to attract and retain maximum candidates (London business school, 2018).

Another example Coca Cola, the company also adopts change management process to focus on the environment and to reduce the threats and challenges of the market. The firm has faced ample of external changes therefore it uses change management process to conduct business activities in a hassle free manner. The firm used change management theory presented by Kotler that was elaborated the process to direct and handle change on the people measurement in the competitive market. The modern change management at Coca Cola is guided towards the motivations and fundamental values of the workers and it can be referred to as ‘employee engagement’. Along with this, it is noted by Mwendwa (2014), that Coca Cola Company implements acquisition tactic and approach in period of Asian financial crisis.

Toyota also updated its organizational structure to boost and enhance business innovation in the competitive market. To promote and improve its overarching goal of making ever better cars by constantly expansion and growth of a brilliant and skilled labor force, the company made some considerable changes to its framework in April 2016 to generate a firm developed across a product based instead of occupation based association. The firm has set up a EV business planning department for effective planning and growth (Toyota global newsroom, 2017).

Change Management Models

If changes are occurring in today’s organizations such as strategic changes, leadership changes, tactical changes and technology changes then those changes are going to have direct and dynamic impacts on people, processes, productivity and efficiency. To reduce negative impacts and effects, it is essential to have change management methodologies and process in the workplace (Burke, 2017). This also helps to reduce possible negative impacts and increase favorable results and outputs. No company can survive and expand its business without using change management theory and process. Change management systems are created to help businesses plan for change instead of react to it (Neck and Manz, 2010). Moreover, various change management models are used by the company to handle and manage the ample of organizational and managerial changes effectively and efficiently. Organizational change management further helps in standing out against the competitors in the international market (Drucker, 2012).

It has been noted that there are various change management model used by the companies to adopt changes in the competitive market (Mulholland, 2017). Some of the models are detailed below.

This change management mode is designed and propounded by Kurt Lewin. Lewin analyzed that the wide range of people tend to activate and prefer within specific zones of safety (Cummings, Bridgman and Brown, 2016). The three stages of Lewin change management model are detailed below.

Unfreeze: It is a primary phase of Lewin change management model. According to Lewin, the unfreeze stage is quite complex of the entire process. This stage shows that change is essential for the workers and company as well. If the company makes the changes then various challenges such as culture, values and processes are faced by the employees and organization as well. In order to overcome the challenges and risks, unfreezing should be initiated through motivation (Cummings, Bridgman and Brown, 2016).

Change: Once change is implemented, the firm moves into a change period. In this stage, the employees are able to accept changes within the organization. It is an intense and important period as workers adapt to modify and flex their issues and concerns solving muscles in various ways. To make this procedure easy, the company needs to provide support to the workers.

Freeze: After change has been accepted and initiated, the firm becomes stable again and the employees freezes as they operate and conduct under the new direction and guidelines. The workers also perform tasks and duties effectively under the guidelines of the firm (Cummings, Bridgman and Brown, 2016). 

Case Studies of Successful Change Management

This 8 step change model is introduced by John Kotter in 1996 after analyzing and measuring around 100 changing organizations. The eights steps of Kotter change management mode have been elaborated below.

Create and build a sense of urgency: It helps in identifying and generating a big opportunity and excitement among the workers.

Assemble a guiding union: Create and build an interior team to handle the change. The company will guide, communicate and coordinate its activities and operations within the organization (Stragalas, 2010).

Form strategic initiatives and vision: The changes should be aligned with strategic vision and mission of the company.

Enlist volunteer army: The top management and managers inspire the workers to support and manage the changes. Furthermore, engage volunteers with actions and activities and render meaningful ways that can contribute towards the achievements and attainment of the company’s goals and objectives (Stragalas, 2010).

Enable action by eliminating barriers: The eliminating barriers include inefficient processes and chains that may affect the success and growth of the company. The employees need to work with the autonomy to implement change.

Generate short term wins: The Company needs to celebrate the achievements and provides motivation to the workers for performing roles and responsibilities effectively.

Sustain acceleration: It is analyzed that the organization is responsible to sustain acceleration. Organizational and managerial changes are handled and managed by planning, inspiring and aligning workers with their strengths.

Institute change: The Company needs to communicate and collaborate with employees in an effective and unique way (Stragalas, 2010).

ADKAR is a dynamic and effective change management model that helps in implementing the managerial changes. According to this model, change management process is sequential and significant to accomplish the desired objectives and targets (Anastasia, 2015). The steps of change management have been drawn below.

A-Awareness: Identify and analyze the need for change

D-Desire: Support and participate the change

K-knowledge: Identify and analyze how to modify and recognize what the change will seek like in terms of behaviors and skills.

A-Ability: Initiate and execute the change on a regular basis

R-Reinforcement: Maintain the change for the long term.

There are ample of recommendations to enhance and promote the change management in the organization. Some of the recommendations have been discussed below.

• The company should focus on the employee engagement and commitment to enhance and improve the change management process in the company.
• Top management needs to develop and enhance a team strategy that includes workers perspectives from a range of levels and departments.
• Managers must augment focus on the workers who are affected most by the change. Furthermore, top management should include resistance leaders in the change process to overcome and handle the pushback from other workers.
• The organization should implement the changes in phases to cope up and sustain the competition in the marketplace.
• Along with this, the firm needs to focus on the causes of high employee turnover and resistance to change within the organization. In this way, the organization can easily manage and adopt the changes in the workplace.
• Effective and clear communication and collaboration shall be maintained by the top management and leaders with employees to implement changes successfully and effectively.
• Leaders should also further provide training and development coaching to the workers to motivate and encourage them for adopting managerial changes. It will also help the company to make an effective and unique financial position in the competitive market.

Conclusion 

On the above mentioned analysis it is concluded that Change management is an integral part of the each and every company to gain competitive advantages and to enhance and improve the goodwill in the international market. The management needs to adopt change management approach and process to make good image in the minds of the customers. An organization is a difficult entity and bringing about a change is an equally complex. The paper outlines how the organizations adopt organizational changes to meet the long term requirements of the business. The paper also provides brief information about the significance and models of change management.

References

Anastasia.2015. Major Approaches & Models of change management [Online]. Available from https://www.cleverism.com/major-approaches-models-of-change-management/ [Accessed as on 7^th August 2018].

Anderson, D. and Anderson, L.A., 2010. Beyond change management: How to achieve breakthrough results through conscious change leadership (Vol. 36). John Wiley & Sons.

Burke, W.W., 2017. Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.

Burke, W.W., 2017. Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.

Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015. Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers.

Cummings, S., Bridgman, T. and Brown, K.G., 2016. Unfreezing change as three steps: Rethinking Kurt Lewin’s legacy for change management. human relations, 69(1), pp.33-60.

Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014. Organization development and change. Cengage learning.

Drucker, P., 2012. Managing in a time of great change. Routledge.

London business school.2018. Inside the Nokia Booster Programme [Online]. Available from https://www.london.edu/news-and-events/news/inside-the-nokia-booster-programme [Accessed as on 6th August 2018].

Mulholland.B.2017. 8 Critical change management models to evolve and survive [Online]. Available from https://www.process.st/change-management-models/ [Accessed as on 7^th August 2018].

Mwendwa.K.F.2014, Factors influencing strategic change management practices at Coca Cola Company in Kenya [Online]. Available from https://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/100307/Kimathi%20_Factors%20Influencing%20Strategic%20Change%20Management%20Practices%20At%20Coca%20Cola%20Company%20In%20Kenya.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [Accessed as on 6^th August 2018].

Neck, C.P. and Manz, C.C., 2010. Mastering self-leadership: Empowering yourself for personal excellence. Pearson.

Prosci.2018. Definition of change management in context [Online]. Available from https://www.prosci.com/change-management/thought-leadership-library/change-management-definition [Accessed as on 6th August 2018].

Stragalas, N., 2010. Improving change implementation. OD practitioner, 42(1), pp.31-38.

Toyota global newsroom. 2017. Toyota to update its organization structure to boost business innovation [Online]. Available from https://newsroom.toyota.co.jp/en/detail/15197404 [Accessed as on 6th August 2018].