Implementing organizational change strategies
Here are the details of each assignment task
1. Understand how to apply solutions to organisational change
Task 1.1 Identify a range of organisational change, models or frameworks
You could introduce your work on this unit by establishing your understanding of why change takes place (you could refer to Handy) and outline how change impacts upon organisational behaviour. It might help to refer to your own organisation or a previous workplace and identify example situations where change has occurred, or to use this unit as an opportunity to work through the implementation of an organisational change.
You could then relate your experience to some of the models and process frameworks and models outlined below and identify how these could apply within your own experience:
The balanced scorecard
The big picture
Business Process reengineering
EFQM Excellence model
Kaizen Blitz
ISO 9000 family Quality system
Six Sigma
Task 1.2 Apply a range of creative problem solving techniques to address change challenges
In this section you could apply several creative problem solving techniques to change challenges in your organisation. These might include:
Lateral thinking (Edward De Bono)
Mind mapping (Tony Buzan)
Brainstorming (Alex Osborn)
Rich pictures (Peter Checkland)
Focus groups
Away days
Innovations laboratories
Alternatively, you could refer to Kirton’s adaptation-innovation (KAI) approach to problem-solving and relate your organisation to innovator-orientated creativity or adaptor-orientated creativity. Consider alternative organisations or workplaces and how creative problem solving is managed within different contexts. (Updated Feb 2015)
Task 1.3 Identify and justify change solutions that link to organisational strategic plans
Having looked at models which instigate change, and applied creative problem solving techniques, you should be in a position to identify and justify change solutions. These firstly need to be matched against organisational aims and objectives and checked for alignment. The use of workplace examples would add value to your answer.
2. Understand how to develop a change strategy using implementation models
Task 2.1 Evaluate a range of change implementation models
In this section you could evaluate a number of the change implementation models outlined. You need to demonstrate that you understand the pros and cons of the different approaches and how they might suit a range of change situations. The use of a tabular format might assist in the presentation of your answer.
Lewin’s Unfreeze, change and unfreeze model, and Force Field analysis
Beckhard and Harris’s staged process of change model
Beckhard, Harris and Pritchard’s – The change equation
Kotter’s Eight-stage process
Balogun and Hope Hailey – The change kaleidoscope
Johnson and Scholes – The cultural web
Task 2.2 Identify the criteria to select a change implementation model that supports organisational change
Having evaluated a range of the above models, you could then identify the criteria that you would use to select the most appropriate model for use within your context. Suggestions for criteria to consider may involve thinking about some of the questions below. This list is not exhaustive but will enable you to start to think about these models in a meaningful way.
– Does the change implementation model enable me to follow a systematic approach?
– Are all stages clearly outlined?
– Does the change implementation model allow me to factor in the strategic vision clearly?
– Does the model enable me to consider potential resistance to change?
– Does the model allow me to consider potential periods of uncertainty?
– Does this model enable me to identify the cultural impact of change?
– Does the model allow me to consider the impact on individuals within the organisation?
– Does the model value the importance of communication of change?
Task 3.1 Demonstrate the use of analytical tools to monitor the progress and the effect of change
All change programmes need to be carefully constructed so that their success can be monitored throughout all stages of the process – at the beginning, the middle and the end. The Balanced Scorecard criteria can be used in line with organisational culture and values as analytical tools in monitoring the progress and effect of a project. Nelson and Aaron’s Stages of Commitment and the Kubler-Ross Change Curve are other useful tools you might consider. Your response in this section needs to show that you have applied more than one analytical tool, and have looked at both hard (quantitative measures) and soft techniques (qualitative measures).
Task 3.2 Assess monitoring and measurement techniques to change within an organisation
Having used some of the analytical techniques in 3.1, you are now asked to assess their usefulness. Your assessment should acknowledge both positive and negative aspects of the tools and techniques, and could show consideration of questions like:
Was monitoring carried out over a period of time – or just at the end?
Was the focus on the “people” component?
Was hard factual data used as a means to judge how well the project was performing? Or was it a mixture of both hard and soft measures?
Task 3.3 Analyse strategies to minimise adverse effects of change
You could consider change initiatives that have taken place within your organisation and analyse strategies that could have minimised any adverse effects on a range of stakeholders. What worked well? What didn’t work well? You need to consider causes of resistance or barriers to change in your experience? Force Field analysis could help here.
Consider a range of strategies that could have enhanced the experience, for example – effective communication about the reason behind the project, connecting with employees from the outset of the project or dealing with resistance in an upfront and positive way.
