MANAGEMENT: change

Question 1

responding to influences

Answer 1

internal - can be controlled
external - can’t be controlled

transformational - restructuring throughout organisation
incremental: minor, single elements

Question 2

structural responses to change

Answer 2

• involved changing the way in which business is organised
  1. outsourcing
  2. developping flatter organisational structures
  3. using work teams

Question 3

what is outsourcing +impact,purpose

Answer 3

Obtaining goods or services from outside suppliers OR using an external supplier to provide a function within your business eg. call centres, cleaning

impacts: massive increase in contract based employees
movement towards smaller workplace, should improve effiency

purpose: minimise costs, tax exemptions

Question 4

impact + purpose of flat structure

Answer 4

impact: removal of middle management roles, increasing accountability of regular staff, improving communication = efficiency

purpose: cut costs, improve lines of communication, promote efficiency

Question 5

impact + purpose of work teams

Answer 5

impact: emplower employees to take wider responsibilities + contribute more however may be time consuming (more consultation)

purpose: use individual skills of people, promote innovation, foster greater soical dynamic within workplace

Question 6

manage change effectively

Answer 6

change is disrupive and expensive - managers must be proficiant in change
aim to maximise benefits brough by change + minimise downsides and disadvantages
Good managers are proactive (initiating) towards change rather than reactive (wait & respond)

Question 7

identifying the need for change + why is it important?

Answer 7

• important to be prepareds for change - follow trends/indentify patterns in business
• analyse data to inform business decision (Business info Systems - BIS)
  BIS for each function:
  operations: effeciency, profitability, productivity
  marketing: sales, customer satisfaction
  finance: financial transactions, cash flow
  HR: absenses, productivity

Important to prevent : falling profit levels, slowing sales figures, poor employee motivation

Question 8

setting achievable goals

Answer 8

• goals so that employees can strive for + feel satisfied - vision statement
• detect changes and progress needed
  SMART goals across each time frame
  conduct SWOT analysis

Question 9

reduce resistance to change

Answer 9

reasons:
financial costs - can be substantial
purchasing new equipement - expensive
redundancy payments: if employees lose jobs, entitled to pay financial compensation
retraining: time consuming
reorganising layout
inertia: lack of interest in change, general reluctance to try new things, fear of unknown

Question 10

strategies to reduce resistance to change

Answer 10

-provide constant feedback
- build trust among employees
- follow sensible time frame
- clearly articulate purpose of change

Question 11

management consultants

Answer 11

• external experts hired to identitfy specific nature of problem and develop strategies to implement effective change

adv: wide range of business experiences, specialised knowledge and skills, objective (external) viewpoint

dis: expensive, time consuming to learn business, unfamiliar with business culture