As we know change is inevitable as market expectations are not static, new technology is constantly being developed, and organizational responses are inevitable to these sequences. It is a simple matter of business evolution. If every manager and every employee could have some understanding of the triggers of change and their relationships with each other, then the acceptance to change would be easier.
When change is being implemented the natural tendency is to feel threatened by what is happening, if you don't think rationally and emotions and feelings take over. Sometimes, it is all seen as some kind of conspiracy by employers and they perceive that the management is concerned only to look after them. There could be elements of truth in this, but a major educational effort to get everyone in the company to expect change, and indeed to create it within their own spheres, would lead to the path of positive change.
Change is expressed through three main areas: the market itself, the technology to meet market demand competitively, the organization of resources, and the enterprise to achieve success. We also consider the tendency of companies to follow a pattern of similar life cycles. The stage in the life cycle could affect the nature of the changes which might be expected. In this article, we are looking at key triggers that necessitate the change.
The market is constantly evolving and the only way to survive in the market is to adapt to what market demands. Some examples of market-driven changes are:
All these create specific changes in your business, whatever it is. The changes in the marketplace will impact your company and if the impact is negative, there will be urgency in the organization to search for new products or for the creation of new expectations from old ones. There will be the decision to explore areas of the globe where you are not previously represented; by expanding your customer base by moving to the right place in order to hold in the demand for the moment.
Technology is naturally enough a significant part of the changing scenario. There are constant development and introduction of new technology that brings process optimization and results in reducing the people costs, or to speed up manufacturing and assembly processes or result in innovative ways of fulfilling a particular need. Technology enables meetings of customer needs, anywhere, at any time, in the form it is wanted and with the minimum of physical material and the maximum of accompanying service. Technological change has a knock-on effect so that change in this field in response to need becomes the trigger of further change. Technology can force an organization to re-establish price advantage, quality pre-eminence, or diversification into new products.
These changes in the market or technology will also affect the organization. If on the negative side it could result in retrenchment, a reduction in the number of employees, and a reduction in the number of levels of management. The technology itself might require new styles of organization, new sills, and the upgrading of old ones. The number of operating sites may be reduced. People may find themselves performing totally new functions, which they may like or perhaps won't like, at least to start with. The only way to stay in business may be a merger or to be the subject of a takeover, friendly or hostile. With such ownership changes, another market, technological and organizational changes may follow. In some industries, it is an endless cycle.
Most CEOs seeking to improve results do something about the organizational structure and culture of their enterprise. The organization is a matter of structuring the way in which resources are brought and kept together in order to achieve objectives. These resources include people, places, money, materials, and machines. Most changes have some implications for the ways in which resources and relationships are organized. Whether corrective action is being taken or opportunities are being seized, the organization's change will make a difference to the immediacy of reaching and speed of decision-making, information-sharing, communications, and policy implementation.
The culture change brought about by reorganizing is the most difficult handle and the ones that take the longest. They have to overcome the inhibitions of whole corporate life history, and they are likely to meet emotional resistance.
The restructuring of organizations will have to be essentially rational and it will move in different directions, depending on need.
In today's innovation-driven economy, understanding how to generate great ideas has become an urgent managerial priority. Managers need to encourage and champion ideas and need to help their organizations incorporate diverse perspectives, which spur creative insights and facilitate creative collaboration by harnessing new technologies. Innovation is the embodiment, combination, and/or synthesis of knowledge in original, relevant, valued new products, processes, or services.
Change is a complex phenomenon. There are different types of changes that are going on around us. Listed in this article are twelve areas in which change arises and bring some classification to it. However one may classify the change, the various heading is always interrelated. The change could be triggered by market changes, technological changes, or organizational changes.
Teams are part of the modern organizational culture. Whether you are a team leader or a team member, having a better understanding of how teams work, and being able to identify where the team is in the process, is a critical part of ensuring the team is ultimately successful. Start with the basics and understand what a team is and what role they play in an organization.
Understanding of how individuals of different cultures interact with each other is very important. Not all individuals can adapt to the leadership styles expected in a different culture whether that culture is organizational or national. In a fast-paced business environment, developing a richer understanding and sensitivity to other cultures is a skill that leaders must possess. Learn to be effective in a cross-cultural setting.
Time management is the process of planning and exercising conscious control of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity. The best time management techniques improve the ways you work. Time management refers to managing time effectively so that the right time is allocated to the right activity. Learn more about the five steps for effective time management viz. study, identify, analyze, decide, and implement.
Four main areas in an organization that need special focus when we discuss the change in an organizational setup are organizational structure, technology, work environment, and the people. Some people call it a process, system, and people. Change in an organization includes adapting to change, controlling change, and effecting change.
Recognizing Stress & its Sources
As an individual, you almost certainly know what stress feels like. Stressors are events or situations to which people must adjust. Stressors may be physical or psychological in nature. The level of severity of stress is determined not merely by exposure but the intensity, duration, and frequency of stressors. The sources of stress are many. They arise from multiple areas both with the individual and from the environment.
Tools for Developing Your Team
If a manager has too many weak spots in the talent of the team, the ability to empower the team members to independently execute the project is impaired. Assignments fall behind schedule or stretch out because the needed skills or knowledge are not in place when needed. To successfully execute important projects, hiring talented people, and increasing the talents of existing staff are most important.
Symbolic Interaction and Social Change
George Herbert Mead, an American philosopher, affiliated with the University of Chicago founded the theory of symbolic interactionism. A major aspect of this is that people interact by symbols both verbal and non-verbal signals and every interaction makes a contribution to the mental make-up of the mind thus every interaction with someone, changes you and you go away a different person signifying that humans and change go together.
Productivity is defined not in terms of the number of goods produced, but in terms of value-added per employee. Customers don’t really buy goods and services but in fact, they buy a value - something they value. The future is all about tangible products fulfilling intangible needs. Ideas like this can transform a business and provide them a competitive advantage to thrive in the future.
© 2023 TechnoFunc, All Rights Reserved