Exam 16: Managing Organizational Change: Strategic Planning and Organizational Development

Generally speaking, planned organizational change can take place to improve already good processes, when an alternative to change to is not readily apparent, or without a plan, if the change effort has top management support.

Jennifer thinks that her company needs to rethink how they market their product because they are not selling as projected. This represents the basic assumption of strategic planning that:

The stage of appreciative inquiry that includes having a dialogue in which participants discuss their ideas about "what should be" is called:

OD interventions tend to be more effective:

Table 16.1 Todd's restaurant is changing from a fast food menu and walk-through service to simple, quickly prepared meals eaten in the restaurant or along the sidewalk. This change was brought on by the losses he is experiencing due to decreased demand for fast food. In order to make the changes as effective as possible and to avoid having to react in the future, Todd is talking to his employees about their ideas on the changes and what the future might hold. He wants employees to try some new things, tell him what's working and what's not working, and help the company grow. -Refer to Table 16.1. Todd's restaurant is experiencing:

Employees resist change when they derive a sense of security from doing things the same way, knowing who their co-workers are, and who their bosses are. This resistance is from:

Table 16.2 Loading Dock One, an international products retailer, is going through organizational change. The entrance of several low cost retailers into their market of quality international gifts is forcing them to seek greater efficiencies so they can lower costs and prices. Unfortunately, their employees are resisting the changes. They understand competition is increasing, but they fear the changes will eliminate jobs or diminish the variety of their work. Not only are the employees resisting, but it seems that the way LDO has hired, trained, and rewarded employees also hinders the changes they want to make. Some managers also are resisting the change because they can see their staffs being reduced or their entire work units eliminated. -Refer to Table 16.2. The initial organizational barrier to change seems to be:

The controversy over the ethicality of OD comes out of the tendency for OD techniques to:

What factors contribute to readiness for change? How do these factors combine?

Organizations like Royal Dutch Shell and the U.S. Army have gone through major change efforts and learned several things that helped facilitate their changes, including:

List the factors contributing to the benefits of making a change.

It is important in implementing change to create a sense of urgency about the need for change and to continually create discomfort about the status quo.

An OD intervention in which teams of participants work off-site to develop and implement new ways of solving organizational problems by focusing on the ineffectiveness of current methods is called appreciative inquiry.

Table 16.3 As an organizational development consultant, you are discussing the various OD techniques the CEO could choose from in bringing about change in her company. You suggest that she begin the process with a quick, inexpensive data gathering from the employees. She likes the idea, especially since the technique you recommend allows them to also receive information. Once you have the data, you suggest she go for a program that helps her managers work together more effectively. You suggest that small groups of managers meet on a regular basis to identify and discuss problems in the workplace. The CEO says this all sounds good, but wants to know how to improve organizational and individual goal setting and accomplishment. She wants a way to plan and implement strategic change for the organization, not get lost in a number of individual programs. You conclude the meeting by talking about employee job satisfaction and asking what her thoughts are on it. She says that it is relatively high, and while important, it can wait to be addressed until these other issues are dealt with. -Refer to Table 16.3. Your initial recommendation is for:

When a company selects, trains, and rewards employees well for performing certain jobs, the company has built in work group inertia as an organizational barrier to change efforts.

Table 16.1 Todd's restaurant is changing from a fast food menu and walk-through service to simple, quickly prepared meals eaten in the restaurant or along the sidewalk. This change was brought on by the losses he is experiencing due to decreased demand for fast food. In order to make the changes as effective as possible and to avoid having to react in the future, Todd is talking to his employees about their ideas on the changes and what the future might hold. He wants employees to try some new things, tell him what's working and what's not working, and help the company grow. -Refer to Table 16.1. What technique did Todd use to overcome resistance to change?

In strategic planning, if a company decides to withdraw from some markets in order to put more resources into other markets it is choosing a(n) ________ strategy.

Table 16.2 Loading Dock One, an international products retailer, is going through organizational change. The entrance of several low cost retailers into their market of quality international gifts is forcing them to seek greater efficiencies so they can lower costs and prices. Unfortunately, their employees are resisting the changes. They understand competition is increasing, but they fear the changes will eliminate jobs or diminish the variety of their work. Not only are the employees resisting, but it seems that the way LDO has hired, trained, and rewarded employees also hinders the changes they want to make. Some managers also are resisting the change because they can see their staffs being reduced or their entire work units eliminated. -Refer to Table 16.2. Loading Dock One (LDO) is facing change due to:

An organization that experiences continuous but incremental change is experiencing:

In situations in which employees are concerned about losses resulting from change, the resistance would best be overcome by: