ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

Organizational Change

Organizational Change

Introduction

Nowadays, organizational change is persistent, as companies making efforts to face or adapt downturn in the dynamic and unstable environment of a global political and economic world. There are many potent factors in such environment, such as demographics, professionalism, technological innovations, competition, and many others that form the organizational adaptation process. Consequently, companies can change focus, alter goals, develops different forms, and restructure responsibilities and goals.

According to George & Jones (2007, pp.15-110), organizational change is complex and multi-dimensional. There are several factors need to be considered for optimal change, namely (1) top management commitment, (2) strategic planning, and (3) effective communication. All these factors have a vital role in bringing favorable change as it reduces employee resistance to change and create willingness for change among employees. When organizations are ready for change or readiness is high, organizational employees are more probable to initiate change, display more supportive behavior, show greater persistence and exert greater efforts.

This paper studied and reviewed factors that help the organization in bringing optimal organizational change. The key objective of this paper is to examine factors, such as (1) top management commitment, (2) strategic planning and (3) communication, and assess how these factors facilitates in bringing optimal change by reducing resistance for change.

Discussion

Top Management Commitment

Management role in change management has been among the crucial factor for a successful change initiative and implementation. Studies determined that top management commitment is crucial for optimal change as it recognize resistance because employees fear to lose their jobs and helps in reducing employee resistance against change that going to take place in an organization (Robbins, Judge, Odendaal & Roodt, 2009, pp.25-330). For instance, if an organization wants to implement a new system in an organization by a third party and through providing employees with appropriative training, the possibility of optimal change will increase.

Elving (2005, pp.129-138) stated that starting at the top and moving down in the course of organization, top leaders should be held liable for efforts of change. Liability refers to actions, including sharing the vision, resource commitment, communication and participation near the beginning and often almost all actions reflects on commitment of leadership to change. In case, top management failed to hold to the key aims of change, employee of an organization may start assuming that objectives and goals are no longer significant. Thus, it is very important that all level of leadership remains responsible and liable throughout the change process. Leaders must communicate clearly and loud to gain employees commitment towards change with their hearts rather than by heads.

Top management commitment helps managers in building metrics of performance that measure the process of change and offers a skeleton for benchmarking the process of change. The evaluation of bounds and scopes of change management is necessary and essential. This framework will help in assessing how close or far the company is a form the desire objective and may make the essential modification when ...