Effective Change Management Strategies for Introducing an IT System

Potential Challenges and Best Course of Action

1. Critically evaluate leadership theories and assess their utility in the management of change.

3. Evaluate potential barriers to organisational change and the effective management of the process.

You are currently working as a change manager in an organisation looking to implement a company-wide new IT system. The organisation has made the ambitious

decision of simultaneously introducing the electronic client management system (ECMS) and electronic purchase order entry system (EPOS). Your organisation reported a £200 million revenue in 2019 and ranks in Forbes top 100 in the country.

The functional and financial structure of the organisation is nothing less thancomplex. There is an intricate web of internal and external stakeholders whose roles vary from ensuring management the organisation’s resources, and providing service to ensuring the organisation adheres to local and international regulations, as well as keeping the customer-base intact and expanding.

As can be anticipated, the change involves a significant amount of restructuring, merging, de-coupling teams and departments, in addition to a complete redesigning of job roles. There is some potential for redundancies, which the CEO is working hard to avoid as well as keeping to a bare minimum. As a change, the agent advises the CEO on the following.

The board of directors is concerned. They understand that approximately 70% of change initiatives of this kind do not fulfil their original objectives. Your team have been asked by the CEO to give a presentation to advise her on the challenges and best course of action to achieve a successful outcome for the move. You are required to identify the following in the presentation:

Task 1: Identify possible leadership methods and recommend appropriate approaches e.g. autocratic, laissez faire, democratic, servant leadership in order to achieve successful implementation of change for the organisation. Individual tasks (70%) - each member of the team to present on ONE of the following

Task 2:

1. Critically analyse how the CEO might use a range of communication strategies to effectively support delivery of the proposed change.

2. Identify potential individual reactions to major change and strategies to manage this.

3. Critically evaluate how the culture of the organisation may influence the success of the change initiative.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

Marks will be awarded for the overall content of the presentation provided.  As such, it is essential that you ensure that all of your group members are presenting successfully and are fully prepared for the presentation.

• The creativity of the idea

• Whether the presentation content was convincing

• The quality of information in the presentation

• Whether the information shows application of analytical thought

• Whether all essential areas were covered

You will be assessed on your presentation skills. This does not include anything relating to the content that is presented. These include, but are not limited to:

• Clarity of expression

• Understanding of presented materials

• Use of visual aids

• Professionalism of your pitch Marks will be awarded as follows:

• A poor answer and below (Fail) misses the point of the task and fails to address the requirements listed in the brief, either entirely or to a significant degree. Expression is simplistic and vague. The answer is unstructured and also fails to use any academic support, with no citations or reference list in evidence. Answer demonstrates no analysis question and is simply a templated solution taken from other sources. Answer lacks significant originality.

• A basic answer addresses some of the issues and demonstrates limited knowledge of appropriate theory, but at a superficial level. It demonstrates difficulties with structure and contains some gaps in understanding. Expression lacks maturity and use of professional terminology. The material is not arranged in a user friendly, logical format. The delivery  system of the programme is be unclear and there are minor inaccuracies in any financial information.

• A satisfactory answer addresses a large amount of the questions and demonstrate a sound, basic knowledge of theory, but with some minor omissions in content and minor inaccuracies in expression. Structure is largely logical. There is an attempt to analyse and evidence that the solution has been tailored to a fair degree. Use of theory and  evidence is reasonably good but with room left to strengthen the credibility.