Chapter 14 Flashcards
T/F: in the big picture:
Various forces (internal and external) necessitate change -Must change or “die out”
Organizational change is very difficult to achieve
With large scale change, usually get one chance to “do it right”
What are the 6 forces for change?
Nature of the workplace: more cultural diversity, aging population, many new entrants with inadequate skills
Technology: faster/cheaper/ and more mobile computers, online music sharing, deciphering of the human genetic code
Economic shocks: rise and fall of dot-com stocks, record low interest rates, turbulent financial markets in both North America and Europe
Competition: global competitors, mergers and consolidations, growth of e-commerce
Social trends: Internet chat rooms, retirement of baby boomers, rise of discount and “big box” retailers
World politics: Iraq-us war, opening of Mrkts in China, tsunamis and earthquakes worldwide
What are the 8 org targets for change?
- purpose
- technology
- structure
- tasks
- people
- culture
- strategy
- objective
What are change agents?
People who act as catalysts and assume the responsibility for managing change activities
Change agents can be internal or external to the organization
What are outside (change) agents?
- Can offer an objective perspective.
- Usually have an inadequate understanding of the organization’s history, culture, operating procedures, and personnel.
- Don’t have to live with the repercussions after the change is implemented.
What are internal (change) agents?
Have to live with the consequences of their actions.
May be more thoughtful.
May be more cautious.
What are the 4 approaches to managing change?
Lewin’s Three-Step Model
Kotter’s Eight-Step Plan for Implementing Change
Action Research
Appreciative Inquiry
What are the 3 steps of Lewins 3 step model? Plus describe each step.
Unfreezing
- Change efforts to overcome the pressures of both individual resistance and group conformity.
- Must address both “driving forces” and “restraining forces”
- Create dissatisfaction, support from top management, rewards
Moving
- Efforts to get employees involved in the change process
- -Establish goals.
- -Institute smaller, acceptable changes that reinforce and support change.
- -Develop management structures for change.
- -Maintain open, two-way communication.
Refreezing
- Stabilizing a change intervention by balancing driving and restraining forces.
- -Build success experiences
- -Reward desired behaviour
- -Develop structures to institutionalize the change
What is Kotters 8 step plan for implementing change?
1- establish a sense of urgency by creating a compelling reason for why changes needed
2-form a coalition with enough power to lead the change
3-create a new vision to direct the change and strategies for achieving the vision
4-communicate the vision throughout the organization
5-empower others to act on the vision by removing barriers to change and encouraging risk-taking and creative problem-solving
6-plan for, create, and reward short-term wins move the organization toward the new vision
7-consolidate improvements, Reassessed changes, and make necessary adjustments in the new programs
8-reinforce the changes by demonstrating the relationship between new behaviours and organizational success
Resistance to change: define
Resistance to change can be positive if it leads to open discussion and debate
Can occur at the individual or organizational level
What is individual resistance to change?
Misunderstanding/lack of trust – feel that the cons of change outweigh the pros, suspicious of the reason for change
Different assessments – employees may have different information, not see the need for change
Low tolerance for change – may not have the skills to change, may think that change will cause extra work
Self interest – look after your own self interest, rather than the interest of the organization
What is cynicism about change?
Particularly relevant if employees/management have been through “failed” change before
Feeling uninformed about what was happening.
Lack of communication and respect from one’s supervisor.
Lack of opportunity for meaningful participation in decision-making.
What are the 6 major sources of org resistance?
Structure inertia – built in mechanisms to produce stability
Tenure
Unions
Limited focus of change – trying to change one department, resistance form the others
Trying to implement “Strategic Human Resource Management”
Group inertia – group “norms” & “culture”
High performance mentality in a low performance culture
Threat to expertise – specialized groups may lose power
New operating system for IT
New product line/changing the existing product line
Threat to established power relationships – People in power (decision makers) may see change as decreasing their power
Changing the org structure to a matrix (function & product)
Threat to established resource allocations – control of resources = power. Loss of resources = loss of power
Outsourcing HR functions
What are the 8 things for overcoming resistance to change?
Education and communication
- This tactic assumes that the source of resistance lies in misinformation or poor communication.
- Best used: Lack of information, or inaccurate information
Participation and involvement
- Prior to making a change, those opposed can be brought into the decision process.
- Best used: Where initiators lack information, and others have power to resist
Building support and commitment
- Employee counselling and therapy, new-skills training, or a short paid leave of absence may facilitate adjustment.
- Best used: To help employees emotionally commit to the change
Developing positive relationships
- Establish trust in the managers implementing the change.
- Best used: When one has a more positive relationship with supervisors and who felt that the work environment supported development
Implementing changes fairly
- Make sure the change is implemented fairly.
- Best used: When employees perceive an outcome as negative, so its crucial that employees see the reason for the change and perceive its implementation as fair.
Manipulation and co-optation
- Twisting and distorting facts to make them appear more attractive.
- Best used: Where other tactics won’t work or are too expensive
Selecting people who accept the change
- Open to the experience and take a positive attitude toward change.
- Best used: when selecting people predisposed to accept change to facilitate the change.
Explicit and implicit coercion
- The application of direct threats or force upon resisters.
- Best used: Speed is essential, and initiators have power
What are the two approaches for creating a culture for change?
Stimulating Innovation
-Innovation: a new idea applied to initiating or improving a product, process, or service
-Sources of Innovation: Structural variables,
Cultures, Human resource
Creating a Learning Organization
-An organization that has developed the continuous capacity to adapt and change.
- Single-loop learning: Errors are corrected using past routines and present policies.
- Double-loop learning: Errors are corrected by modifying the organization’s objectives, policies, and standard routines.
