John Smithers Case in Leadership

The driving factors for a success or failure of implementing Six Sigma is largely dependent on the inputs set forth at the conception and duration of the integration. This whitepaper will compare and contrast these critical inputs for a successful deployment. In order to accomplish this five various companies: GE Electric, W.R. Grace, Royal Chemicals, Diversified Paper and Lemforder. Some of these organizations had very successful results while others failed to reach their full potential. What is clear is the similarities of those that succeed and those that failed.

Step 2 is forming a powerful guiding coalition. Leadership will have to be on board and on the same page in regards to the change. Kotter and Cohen reveal the core problems people face when leading change. Their main findings are that the central issue concerns not structure or systems but behavior and how to alter it (Farris, 2008). The success of the changes will depend on the ability of the managers to show their commitment to change and motivate the employees to do the same. Without any process to track the implementation, the change can also fail.

Discuss the six images of managing change and how each can effect an organization. These points will come from Chapter 2 of the textbook, p.27-33.

6. Focus only on your highest priorities for improving the production process at Stonehaven’s Gdansk factory (be specific). Explain why they are important. What actions do you recommend? How would you implement your recommendations? What do you predict will be the consequences?

3. How easy or difficult would it be for other organizations to duplicate the leadership style of Simonic and the organizational systems practiced at Addy, prior to, and after Simonic’s tenure?

Leading and managing change require a solid theoretical foundation. This assignment will research the theoretical elements of change and change management. Addressed will be the following: Organic Evolution of Change, Formulating Strategic Development Approaches, Leadership and Management Skills and Gathering and Analyze Data. As societies continue to evolve and changing demand creates the need for new products and services, businesses often are forced to make changes to stay competitive. The businesses that continue to survive and even thrive are usually the ones that most readily adapt to change. A variety of factors can cause a business to reevaluate its methods of operation. According to literature from the past two

• This coursework is worth 70% of the overall module marks. • The assignment questions are based on the main case. Supplements A and B provide useful insights into previous Six Sigma initiatives in the organization. • Preferably your write-up may not exceed 5000 ± 10% words. • This coursework should adopt academic conventions in terms of writing style, be supported by research, with proper attribution of sources and be fully referenced. • Do not submit an

The purpose of this book is to make us see that nearly all-operating prescriptions for creating large-scale corporate change are nothing but myths and that changes do not happen from one day to another by a miracle, the change from good to great is the result of a successful plan who

1. Analyze the changes that Al Dunlap had initiated at Sunbeam after being hired from a strategic perspective. Did the changes started by Dunlap allow him opportunities to manage earnings?

Introduction: This case study investigates Maple Leaf Foods' (MLF), a highly successful diversified corporation, proactive approach to the implementation of the rigorous, culture penetrating and comprehensive measurement-based philosophy, Six Sigma. In fact, MLFs' change champions and "dynamic duo", Michael McCain, president and chief executive officer (CEO), and Bruce Miyashita, vice-president (VP) Six Sigma, unequivocal support, confidence, vision, and expertise in this process improvement and variation reduction strategy ignited the essential motivation and stakeholder loyalty that was paramount to the receptivity/achievement of their "well-thought out" conversion and

So with business going so well for Solectron, how did everything go wrong for the company starting in 2001? Revenue fell from $6.5 billion in 3rd quarter 2000 to $2.2 billion in the same quarter of 2001. The company laid-off 20,000 employees; its stock plummeted; it was faced with plant closures, excess inventory and reduction of floor space. Was it a case of poor planning and management or just the company a victim of an economic downturn? This case analysis will explore what Solectron did wrong and what they could have done and offer some suggestions. It is also interesting to note the Solectron foresaw a pending boom in the Asia (China & India) markets and that if it was able to weather the prevailing storm, Solectron stood a chance of rising up again and succeed.

The case deals with two major transformational organisational changes that take place within a span of 5 years in Marconi PLC. The first change process was under the leadership of Lord Simpson who took over this large diversified conglomerate in 1996 when the company was in a mature phase, already in decline. The company was under performing, had a rigid structure, lacked a clear vision and the employees had become change averse and complacent. To recharge the company Lord Simpson lead a change process with a clear vision with a growth oriented strategy, acquisition and a cultural change process for the employees. To motivate the employers to embrace the cultural change he introduced an attractive stock option plan.

As mentioned in the introduction, due to the earlier stockpiling in the industry that had caused the sales to be artificially depressed, the company’s attempt to incorporate software into a computer system for signal handling had fallen behind schedule and for the first time Sigtek was challenged by new competitors in the industry and not to mention that the printed circuit boards that Sigtek was known for had become a commodity product, the customer focus was more on the price and delivery time, they were less concerned with quality. These factors caused Sigtek’s sales to crumble from $60 million to $400 million and the workforce was cut back from 1,000 to 800.

Explain Senior Management’s role in preparing the organization for its most recent change. Provide evidence of whether the transition was seamless or problematic from a management perspective.

In the cases analyzed, we might infer that during a period of economic difficulties companies had gone through deep discontinuity. As such, this determined the need for a turnaround to realign the companies’ strategies with the external and internal environment. These changes impacted the four companies analyzed previously.