Concord Bookshop Paper

Today’s companies are challenged by frequent changes in market demands and consumers’ desires for new products and services. Companies which fail to adapt to these changing conditions often find themselves struggling to survive. This is the situation for the Texas Plant, as described in the case study by Pryor, Humphreys, and Taneja (2011). The Vice President, Human Resources Director, and Organizational Development Manager find themselves not only facing the struggles of transforming the Texas Plant, but also the difficulties of working together to achieve it. The following paper describes these difficulties and examines how the actions of the leaders impacted the change process. Recommendations to assist the plant’s leadership in moving forward will be offered.

Organizational change has many concepts from wide changes to small changes that can affect a company. Introducing a new person into the company, changing mission statement, restructuring, and even adding stock options are examples of organizational changes. According to Spector it is important to understand, analyze the dynamic of change, and requirements of effective change implementation. Successful changes requires management to explore many drivers of change. Strategic responsiveness occurs when external factors affects the company for example, government regulation, new competition, and economic changes. In response to these events an organizational change is necessary to create and

Book review by Pat Naughtin Harvard-Professor John P. Kotter has been observing the process of change for 30 years. He believes that there are critical differences between change efforts that have been successful, and change efforts that have failed. What interests him is why some people are able to get their organizations to change dramatically — while most do not. John P. Kotter writes: Over the past decade, I have watched more than a hundred companies try to remake themselves into significantly better competitors. They have included large organizations (Ford) and small ones (Landmark Communications), companies based in United States (General Motors) and elsewhere (British Airways), corporations that

Within the business world, there are different theories of effective change implementation. The corporation this research focuses on is Duke University Children’s Hospital, which is highlighted in the textbook. The topic of the research paper will focus on the process of implementing change within the hospital. Implementing change within organizations is very relevant to this course. Not only is the course called Leading Organization Change, but the topics we have been focusing on revolve around methods of implementing change. With changes, organizations need to take steps to fully plan the change in order to ensure a smooth transition and acceptance (Spector, 2013). Research will show how Duke University Children’s Hospital assessed

The second step in the change theory is the transition stage. Once people are unfrozen, the problem now shifts to how to keep them going. This is now the actual change process a stage that is characterized by confusion as people try to change from the old to new ways. This stage is further characterized by fear because people tend to be unsure and is the hardest step in the whole process (Schein, 1995). During transition, new behaviors are developed, values and attitudes. It is achieved through development techniques and change in existing organizational structures. People undergoing this stage need to be given ample time to adapt to new ways. Of uttermost importance during this stage is support. Support is offered in terms of coaching and training as well as acceptance that mistakes will be part of the transition process (Smith, 2001).

Change is described as an attempt that consists of actual physical changes to operations in an organization and how the change has different emotional stimulation to employees. Change can be a painful process in the workplace because it means going from what is certain and known to the unknown. Employees who have worked for an organization for a long time will lose his or her comfort zone of what has become familiar, capabilities he or she has become used to, the status or financial security that was once an advantage, and networks the employees have taken a long time to build (Top 10

Communication is the key to this theory which begins with the unfreeze phase. This phase communicates the reason for the change and creates urgency by listing the critical reasons why the changes are necessary and the benefits made from the changes. This creates buy in from the employees as they eagerly await the change plan to “fix the problem.” The change phase implements the changes; again, communication is the key so the employees will know what the expectations are at all times. Refreezing is making the changes the new company culture by demonstrated behaviors.

This paper will focus on a change initiative for Wal-Mart. Next, this paper will analyze how this change will impact the people, products, and processes. Then this paper will focus on the people portion, and provide recommendations to position this change initiative in a manner that results in high performance. Finally this paper will conclude with a summary of how the recommended approach to the change initiative will result in organizational excellence.

How was the accompanying reading, “Re-Energizing the Mature Organization,” germane to the case on British Airways?

The 64-year- independent Concord bookstore underwent a period of upheaval created by the owners of the store not considering how the change in management without consulting the current staff and management could produce negative feedback from the employees. The owners showed that they need to improve their understanding of how organizational change should occur to produce positive outcomes (Spector, 2010, p. 2).

Change management in the working setting is constant for all Managers and leaders alike. To stay applicable and competitive businesses, managers, and supervisors should as often as possible reclassify their technique for working, item/benefit offerings and the impact this may have on your team, or shareholders. (Holmes, 2013) "for instance when we lead change (vast or minute) see to it that these four fundamentals are on your agenda of things to do; make a feeling of earnestness, make a reasonable tomorrow, get people consideration and get people involved at the right level, have clear actions or expectations and desires."

Fostering change in the work place is an aspect that every manger will face in their career. Changes often lead too many discussions with our employees and as a manager or a leader how we foster change directly impacts the business and careers of others; ultimately, their success is your success. Your personal management or leadership style of change will directly impact the company’s profit margin and may determine if you retain key talent in your organization. There are many aspects of change and it not the intention to discuss every philosophical approach. It is to focus on how we personally accept change, how as a managers or leaders we administer that change, and finally, how we prepare for the next change to come.

The influence of Lewin’s (Evans, Ward, & Rugaas, 2000) unfreezing – changing – refreezing model of change can be seen in Van der Waldt’s (2004) depiction of change communication as occurring in three phases. During the first phase of change, individuals within organizations face the loss of old ways of doing things, and should be supported in the initial phases of the change by communication that acknowledges this loss and that recognizes the difficulty that some individuals may have in letting go of the past. During the second phase of change, staff may face confusion

The cycle of change is a process from which an organization goes through a major change or implementation in order for the organization to change the way it currently does business. These changes can come about for many different reasons, changes in technology, changes in the business structure, or major innovations within the business sector. The four cycles of change are entrepreneurial stage, collectivity stage, formalization stage, and elaboration stage. Citigroup implementing the cycle of change within the organization will bring the organization more opportunities and teamwork among employees.

Refreezing. An organisation can refreeze once changes have been implemented and people have accepted the new ways of doing things. After the refreeze a new and stable organisational chart and other core documents can be published. Managers must monitor that changes are being used at all times until they become a part of the normal everyday routine. Employees will then become comfortable and confident with the new methods. Reaching this future state and refreezing is important as it gives staff a sense of stability. It will also ensure they are motivated to tackle future changes with confidence that results will be successful and beneficial to them (Mind Tools, n.d.). Useful strategies during this stage include (Young, 2014):