CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Organisation life in the 21st Century

Organisation life in the 21st Century

Introduction

Flexibility and adaptability has become high need of the century. Organisations are faced with the challenge of adapting to the rapidly changing scenario. This has also emphasised the concept of globalisation and cross cultural boundaries. These terms have different definitions for different individuals. Some think of globalisation as a beneficial process which will contribute decisively to global economic development as well as the organisational growth. Others have a negative perception for this and believe that it increases inequality within and between nations, threatens employment and living standards and thwarts social progress. The boundaries are considered as obstacles by some, whereas, others take it as an opportunity for growth and expansion. This paper address as to how the appreciation of boundaries facilitates the management of organisation life in the 21st century.

Today's world is characterised by constant change in the environment. The general environment surrounding organisations is too dynamic, and it requires a high capacity for adaptation and survival base. The process of change occurs in a dynamic field of forces acting in various ways. On one hand, there are positive forces that act as a supporting agent for change. On the other hand, negative forces act as opposition and resistance to change. The system operates in a state of relative equilibrium which is altered when there is any pressure from either positive or negative forces. The change is the result of competition between driving forces. The organisation must be alert to new needs and opportunities that are present in the environment.

Discussion

The term “appreciation of boundaries” is a concept emerged as a result of human innovation and technological progress. It evokes the increasing integration of organisations and economies around the world, particularly through trade flows and financial flows. The term sometimes also refers to international transfer of labour and knowledge.

The term is commonly used since the 1980s, that is to say, since that technological progress allowed for easier and faster international operations (commercial or financial). It reflects an extension beyond the borders of the countries of market forces that have operated for centuries at all levels of economic activity including village markets, urban industries or financial centres (Anon, 2006, pp. 25).

Markets promote efficiency through competition and the division of labour, and specialization allows workers and organisations to focus on what they do best. With the globalisation of markets, it is possible to exploit more markets in the world. This means that one can have access to more capital and technological resources. Moreover, it has also opened numerous opportunities in the field of imports and exports. However, markets do not necessarily guarantee that this increased efficiency benefits everyone. Corporations must be prepared to launch the necessary policies and regulations to survive the highly volatile and unexpected environment.

Appreciation of boundaries offers great opportunities to achieve a truly global development in an irregular manner. Some countries integrate into the global economy more quickly than others (Bakalis, 2009, ...