FINAL Flashcards
Organizations as systems
a system is a set of inter-related and inter-dependant elements. Implications are is that if there is one part of the organization being affective, the rest of the organization will be affected as well.
Formal subsystems
Strategy, Goals
Informal subsystems
Power, culture, politics
Triggers for change are usually due to factors outside the organization
Political – International Law, Taxation
Economical – Competitors, Suppliers
Sociocultural – Demographic trends, Lifestyle changes
Technological – Information technology (internet), Computerization of processes
Smooth Incremental Change
is change that evolves slowly in a systematic and predictable way
Bumpy Incremental Change
characterized by periods of relative tranquility punctuated by acceleration in the pace of change
Discontinuous Change
change which is marked by rapid shifts in strategy, structure, or culture, or in all three
Hard Difficult Problems
– simply more limited sorts of problems while messes are larger and much more taxing for those what want some kinds of change to solve the problem
– bounded in the way that they are smaller scale and have clear priorities
Soft Messy Problems
Tend to be larger scale, are unbounded and have serious and worrying implications
Dimensions of organizational structure
o 1) Specialization o 2) Standardization o 3) Formalization o 4) Configuration o 5) Centralization o 6) Traditionalism
Specialization
the extent to which there are different specialist roles and how they are distributed
Standardization
The extent to which an organization uses regularly occurring procedures that are supported by bureaucratic procedures or invariable rules and processes
Formalization
Written rules, policies, instructions
Configuration
The shape and pattern of authority relationships; how many layers there are and the number of people who typically report to a supervisor
Centralization
the extent to which authority to make decisions lies with the apex (top) of the organization
Traditionalism
how many procedures are ‘understood’ in contrast to being written; how commonly accepted is the notion of the way things are done around this organization
6 Steps to Effective Change
- Mobilize commitment to change through joint diagnosis of business problems
- Develop a shared vision
- Foster consensus of the new vision
- Spread revitalization to all departments without pushing it form the top
- Institutionalize revitalization through formal policies, systems and structures
- Monitor and adjust strategies in response to problems in the revitalization process
Conflict-Handling Styles
- Competing – creates a win/lose situation and so the conflict will be resolved to suit one party only
- Collaborating – creates a win/win outcome, both parties gain. Requires openness and trust and a flexibility of approach
- Compromising – the needs of both parties are partially satisified. It requires a trading of resources
- Avoiding – Creates a no-win situation. Allows for a cooling off period
- Accommodating – Lose/win situation, but retains a good relationship between the parties. Builds goodwill
Mintzbergs Manager Roles – Key roles of managers
1) Figurehead – acts as the representation or symbol of the organization
2) Leader – concerned with interpersonal relationships, what motivates their staff and what needs they might have
3) Liaison – emphasizes the network of contacts with others in and outside the organization
4) Monitor of information – monitoring the environment to keep informed of competitors activities, new legislation ect.
5) Disseminator – includes keeping staff and others within the organization formed
6) Spokesperson – manager gives information to others outside the organization
7) Entrepreneur – associated with innovation and change
8) Disturbance Handler – acts to solve problems that arise, often unexpectedly
9) Resource allocator – control some kind of resource
10) Negotiator – debate who will do some things and who will do others
Four Main Leadership Styles
- Concern for Task
- Concern for People
- Directive Leadership
- Participative Leadership
Concern for Task
– extent to which the leader emphasizes high levels of productivity, organizes and defines group activities in relation to the groups task objectives and so on
Concern for People
– the leader is concerned about their subordinates as people
Directive Leadership
leader makes all decisions concerning group activities themselves and expects subordinates simply to follow instructions
Participative Leadership
The extent to which the leader shares decision making concerning group activities with subordinates
Four Dimensions of Transformational Leadership
- Charisma: provides vision and sense of mission for followers to follow
- Inspiration: Communicates high expectations and standards
- Intellectual Stimulation: challenges assumptions with fresh ideas and solicits ideas from followers
- Individualized Consideration: Showing interests in individual followers and their development
Fine tuning
typically at lower levels, clarifying goals, refining models, and procedures
Incremental adjustment
distinct changes but not on a radical scale, changing structure, using new production methods
Modular transformation
a major realignment of part of an organization, a major restructuring, expansion, contraction
Corporate transformation
changes across the organization to business strategy, revised mission, new top management
HSMC – Three overlapping phases:
1) the description phase – describing and diagnosing the situation, understanding what is involved, setting the objectives for the change
2) The options phase – generating options for change, selecting the most appropriate option, thinking about what might be done
3) The implementation phase – putting feasible plans into practise and monitoring the results
Kotters 8 Steps
- Create urgency
- Powerful coalition
- Create vision for change
- Communicate
- Remove obstacles
- Create short term
- Build on change
- Anchoring the change
Lewis Model
Unfreezing - urgency, coalition, create visions
Moving - communicate, remove obstacles
Freezing - build in change, anchor
Syncrude Case
Continuous process of identifying, collecting, and translating information about external influences will benefit strategic decision making towards establishing a stance to environmental factor
Resistance to change
Losing something of value
Uncertainty and ambiguity
Perception that the change is not good
