Chapter Seven - Management of Change

Question 1

What is Organisational Change?

Answer 1

Organisational change is the adoption of a new idea or behaviour by an organisation.

Question 2

What is Being Proactive?

Answer 2

To be proactive is to initiate change rather than simply to react to events.

Question 3

What is Being Reactive?

Answer 3

To be reactive is to wait for a change to occur and then respond to it.

Question 4

What is a Recession?

Answer 4

A recession is a contraction in the level of economic activity resulting in reduced spending, rising unemployment and a slow rate of economic growth.

Question 5

What is an Emissions Trading Scheme?

Answer 5

An emissions trading scheme regulates the buying and selling of permits to emit greenhouse gases. A permit allows emissions up to a prescribed cap or limit. Large emitters either choose to buy extra permits or invest in technologies that control emissions. If limits are exceeded, penalties are imposed.

Question 6

What is Force-field Analysis?

Answer 6

Force-field analysis outlines the process of determining which forces drive and which resist a proposed change.

Question 7

What is a Driving Force?

Answer 7

Driving forces are those forces that support the change.

Question 8

What are Restraining Forces?

Answer 8

Restraining forces are those forces that work against change.

Question 9

What is Organisational Inertia?

Answer 9

Organisational inertia refers to an unenthusiastic response from management to proposed change.

Question 10

What is the Change Management Process?

Answer 10

The change management process is the sequence of steps that a manager would follow for the successful implementation and adoption of change.

Question 11

What is a Facilitator?

Answer 11

A facilitator is someone who helps people achieve an objective by providing unobtrusive assistance.

Question 12

What is a Change Agent?

Answer 12

A change agent is a person or group of people who act as catalysts, assuming responsibility for managing the change process.

Question 13

What is Change?

Answer 13

Change is any alteration in the internal or external environments.

Question 14

What is Manipulation?

Answer 14

Manipulation is the skilful or devious exertion of influence over someone to get them to do what you want.

Question 15

What is Cooptation?

Answer 15

Cooptation involves the selection of an influential person among the potential resistors to be involved in the development and implementation of the change process.

Question 16

What is Corporate Social Responsibility?

Answer 16

Corporate social responsibility involves managing organisational processes in order to produce an overall positive impact on the community.

Question 17

What is the Triple Bottom Line?

Answer 17

Triple bottom line refers to the social, economic and environmental performance of an organisation.

Question 18

What is Ecological Sustainability?

Answer 18

Ecological sustainability occurs when economic growth meets the needs of the present population without endangering the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Question 19

What is a Sustainable Report?

Answer 19

A sustainability report is a comprehensive report of what a business has done, and is doing, with regard to social issues that affect it.

Question 20

What is Business Ethics?

Answer 20

Business ethics refers to the application of moral standards to organisational behaviour.

Question 21

What is a Corporate Code of Conduct?

Answer 21

A corporate code of conduct is a set of ethical standards for managers and employees to abide by.

Question 22

What is Global Economy?

Answer 22

The global economy is the world economy and refers to the economic activity going on in the world. It includes the flow of all trade, finance, technology, labour and investment. Consequently, it is the total economic activity within and between countries.

Question 23

What is a Global Manager?

Answer 23

A global manager pursues organisational objectives in international settings and, therefore, is required to conduct business in numerous countries with different cultures.

Question 24

What is a Merger?

Answer 24

A merger is a combination of two companies to form a new company.

Question 25

What is an Acquisition?

Answer 25

An acquisition is the purchase of one company by another with no new company being formed.

Question 26

What is Privatisation?

Answer 26

Privatisation is the process of transferring the ownership of a government business to the private sector.

Question 27

What is Leadership?

Answer 27

While there is no one precise definition, leadership is the process of positively influencing and encouraging individuals to set and achieve objectives.

Question 28

What is Transformational Change?

Answer 28

Transformational change often results in a complete restructure throughout the whole organisation.

Question 29

What is Incremental Change?

Answer 29

Incremental change results in minor changes, usually involving only a few employees.

Question 30

What is Structural Change?

Answer 30

Structural change refers to changes in the organisation’s structure - that is, the organisation chart.

Question 31

What is Outsourcing?

Answer 31

Outsourcing is the contracting of some organisational operations to outside suppliers.

Question 32

What is Teamwork?

Answer 32

Teamwork involves people who interact regularly and coordinate their work towards a common goal.

Question 33

What is Flexible Manufacturing?

Answer 33

Flexible manufacturing is production by computer controlled machines that can adapt to various versions of the same operation.

Question 34

What are Sources of Change?

Answer 34

Sources of change are the ‘indicators’ that signal the need for change. They are found in the internal and external (operating & macro) environments.