Change management is an application of project management techniques, enabling individuals and organizations to be transferred to the upper level of development. On the other hand, prescribing change and expecting that everything will go as planned requires hard work and structure that will enable the plan to execute all its components.
In order to transform the organization, cope with the structure and process-related challenges, it is obligatory to know the origins of change in organization, threatens, opportunities, as well as the forces and factors, influencing decision-making. Moreover, implementing change will require the necessary techniques and essential tools that are imperative in effectively managing the people to achieve the desired business outcome.
The main forces of change entail technological, economic, political changes throughout the country, competition and sweeping consumers’ focus. Their appreciation relates to superior quality and greater profits. Focusing on the aforementioned factors will make it easy for the organization to realize greater outcome by means of effective management and implementation of the planned changes.
The key question, arising in terms of change management is how and when to shift to the new form of business model and who will be in charge of future sustainable growth campaign. We suggest that the only way to solve this and other similar issues, concerns to defining particular stages and steps forward the change management system modernization.
Suffice it to say, there are lots of business benefits when providing changes to the existing business model.
Thus, changes motivate personnel; engage workers and managers in collaboration and mutual support practice. Anderson, Dean, and Ackerman Anderson argue that they combine team mates together, inspire to the new highs and better positions in life (17). Of course that depends on the industry, management, and, in general, the company’s strategy. Nonetheless, there would be observed a great enhancement in planning, implementation, internal and external communication together with tighter connections with stakeholders, when changes occur.
Besides, consistent work for profound results gives privilege of mutual respect and positive track records. The one succeeds, who integrates into process- and results-oriented business.
Considering the change management process, we will refer to its subject, namely, the managers and the employees.
In other words, we will focus either on the whole organization or on the individual. Hiatt, Jeff, and J. Creasey state, that organizational change management stands for significant changes in terms of the management team and management tools used for implementing the company’s strategy (10). Primarily, on this stage there must be altered or evolved a new approach for making sustainable growth and meeting the new business model requirements
Individual change management, on the other hand, results in the employee’s mental mindset change. Therefore, it is essential to provide up-to-date tools for improving the processes of employee allocation, orientation, transition, team management and coaching system.
Implementing strategies on both organizational and individual levels might become integral for taking the leading position on the market and strengthening the management competing edge.
Truly speaking, changes lead to:
Leadership qualities improvement, as the one ready to take the responsibility, may get an advantage of further promotion.This is helpful for maintaining the healthy competition and good results;
Innovation in technology and people management;
Increased efficiency, which oversees better, management information system (MIS), supply chain management, e.g., that inevitably implies satisfied clients and stakeholders as well as exceeding profits.
No matter on what level a change is enforced; the key is that it will also have an impact on strategy, CSR, technology and structure.
One has to figure out how to manage the change process, what to start with, who interact and how to cope with difficulties. In order to realize new strategic approach, the organization, the leader, every manager should pass the 4 step way of scanning the environment, laying the foundation for the new strategy, implementing and controlling it.
In essence, we should understand whether the firm needs some changes. Therefore, the following information is required:
The change has to be made on the organization or on the team level;
Selecting the framework to follow;
Appointing the responsible;
Defining and planning necessary outcome.
Understanding the steps involved in the change management process will help to plan regeneration and choose a model to guide the process.
These are the top models: Lewin's 3-phase model of change,Kotter's change management model, ADKAR Model for Change Management and others.
Kubler-Ross, a famous a Swiss-American psychiatrist, suggested the concept of five stages of grief for analyzing worker’s behavior and, mainly, opposition while experiencing the changes (34).
These stages are the following:
Disapproval,
Irritation,
Bargaining,
Depression,
Acceptance.
On the disapproval stage, it is common for a person to deny any changes, find reasons for putting them off and showing up an inability to resist the status quo. It is common in an organizational structure where the people are more confortable of the conventional process. For example, an employee who usually uses printed reports to analyze financial trends may find it difficult to adjust to the changes where the printed reports are to be replaced by the digitized materials.
In similar context where the people are being introduced to new processes as a result of change, one may get easily irritated, unpleased with himself, his colleagues, team and so on. He blames everyone for the current situation and disbelieves in future prosperity.
Afterwards, an individual starts off to bargain. He is not intended to face challenges and encounter any problems with salary, retirement plan, etc. He will try to postpone any changes, as he is not ready to negotiate the deal, to run a risk and to win. In some cases, hesitation on the part of the employee is likely to come from the lack of clear anticipation of what will happen next after the changes has been implemented. Therefore, it is important to set the stakeholders’ expectations when implementing change.
Finally, some live in despair, demotivated and unlikely to contribute to the organization’s renovation. Nevertheless, they accept the idea that it is crucial to take measures and move on, after a while. This is because in the long shot, employees and other members of the organization are likely to react to changes because of the unfamiliar environment introduced to them, which will take some time to get used to.
Works Cited
Anderson, Dean, and Linda Ackerman Anderson. Beyond Change Management: How to Achieve Breakthrough Results Through Conscious Change Leadership. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.
Hiatt, Jeff, and Timothy J. Creasey. Change Management: The People Side of Change. Loveland: Prosci, 2003. Print.
Kubler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: Macmillan, 1969. Print.
