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What Are The Three Paradoxes Faced By Gustavsson At Engineered Woods

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The importance of managing paradoxes increases with the complexity of organizational environments. To successfully manage paradoxes organizational leaders must learn to deal with contradictions and embrace incompatible forces, rather than choose between them (Belasen). Three management paradoxes that Bjorn Gustavsson faces as Engineered Woods are the paradox of change and stability, the paradox of individuals and teams, and the paradox of direction and empowerment. This essay will discuss these three paradoxes faced by Gustavsson at Engineered woods. Engineered Woods is seeking flexibility so they can adapt to a changing market and transition to a specialty commodity. Gustavsson has to manage his pursuit of change in how the organization is managed, how it is organized and whom is carrying it out. At the same time individuals are promoting resistance and the need for stability in the work environment. Individuals wish to reduce uncertainty, and maintain a stable self-concept propelled by consistency in their actions (Leana & Barry 2000). Individuals give their best when they work in teams yet teams succeed when each individual pulls their own weight. In order for Gustavsson to succeed in his change management strategy, he needs to shift the organization from a vertical structure to a horizontal structure. He can breed more success and production if he can create more self-managed teams. The paradox of direction that Gustavsson faces is that he wants to empower his

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