Introduction

In this Managing change process assignment, thorough discussion would be carried about on the company named Info Edge which is into hardware services and venturing into the software services so that it can gain competitive edge in the market. There would be 5 Tasks. Each task will be contributing to the opportunity for change and its management. The impact of change on the stakeholders as well as the employees of an organization would be analyzed. The model or the process of change that Info Edge should adopt in order to successfully implement it.

TASK 1

LO1. Conduct an analysis on the organization to determine the organizations’ position in the sector and market within which it operates. From your analysis identify an opportunity for change which will support the organizations’ objectives. Where possible identify how this change will give competitive advantage over rival organizations.

In this Managing change process assignment we will identify the position of the company in the market and various opportunity of change that could be brought about in the company for achieving the organizational objectives and gaining a competitive advantage.

AC1.1 Determine the organizations’ position in the sector and market within which it operates

Company “Info Edge” is in the development of the hardware for the retail and banking sector. This company is formed around 5 years back. It is owned by a person who earlier was working with IBM as Vice President Projects. It faces a strong competition from various other small sized Information Technology companies in the market. It can be placed at number 25 among all small sized IT companies in this sector. Its position has been low due to its services that it caters only the hardware for the various companies. It has not been providing software solutions due to its skills in hardware only. The owner of the company is into hardware and the team it has employed in terms of a medium sized organization is also involved in hardware. It does not have skills and necessary manpower into software solution design and development (Armenakis&Bedeian, 1999).

AC1.2 Identify an opportunity for change, in support of the organization’s objectives

Info Edge is in business for 5 years and has been catering to the needs of the hardware and various tools and equipments that are being needed in the banking and the retail sector. It has been observed that company worked for one of the banking and retail chains that have stopped working with the companies who used to outsource the needs of their software. The outsourced companies used to develop the software for them. These companies had been charging more. These banks and retail companies have asked Info Edge to take up the assignment of software development along with the hardware that they have been providing. This request has been made by very senior person working with the bank and retail company. They have told that they are happy with the hardware services of Info Edge and can take outsourced software solutions from Info Edge in spite of it being not experienced in Software.

This is an opportunity for change for Info Edge. It has been realized that the companies which are into software development have been gaining more business volumes and profitability. Hardware has lesser margins. This opportunity has been given to the company in spite of the fact that they are only into hardware solutions. They do not have to prove their credibility or the reliability in the software solutions. In case Info Edge will open up its software operations along with the hardware services, they will compete better in the market. They will have competitive advantage in terms of the solution providers for both hardware and software and companies have been looking forward for these services. They will get comprehensive packages in terms of IT solutions from their clients and make up with higher margins. They could meet up the needs by hiring the people in software skills and deploy them for bank and retail companies which once proved will act as a tool for competitive edge in the overall market (Morin &Thuiller, 2009).

It could be said that this opportunity means that Info Edge has to change itself in full in terms of employment of the manpower, setting up of research and development department and other related information technology services.

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Comments

It could be said that although it is an experiment but this opportunity of change once converted into strength will result in the success and overall development of Info Edge giving it a competitive edge in IT industry.

TASK 2

LO2 Select a change process method or model and discuss how it can be applied to an organizational change. Evaluate this model/method to establish how it may assist in the change process. Explain how the communication of this change process would be undertaken to ensure it is successful.

In this task we will introduce a change method or the model that Info Edge could use in order to bring about successful organizational change. Communication of the change is very important task. It would be discussed as how this change would be communicated successfully.

AC2.1 Discuss a model or method to identify a change process and the communication of that change process

Info Edge had always been in the hardware services. It has never provided software services to any of its client since inception. This change opportunity thus has to be planned from the scratch. The best model that could be used in order to bring about this change successfully can be explained with the help of Kotter’s 8 Step Change Model:

• Creation of Urgency – In this step it is essential that Info Edge should dedicatedly get involved in the change process. They should identify the potential opportunities, threats and strengths that exist in the change. Through the means of suggestions, discussions and planning means should be searched for converting the threats and weaknesses into opportunities and strengths.
• Forming of Coalition that is powerful – In this entire management and the team of Info Edge should collaborate together to bring about the change successfully. They should develop a sound and powerful plan for the implementation.
• Creation of a Vision – A specific strategy has to be developed which gives a clear vision to the company making it strong among the competitors through performance and successful change implementation.
• Communication of the Vision – Unless the vision is communicated to the entire team, it will not be successful. Communication should take place in form of discussions, suggestion sessions, addressing the concerns, doubts and issues of the people. Communication would be successful in case it is done often in all kinds of discussions of the quality management and also related to the team so that they have clear vision and strategy for the change in their minds and hearts (Garvin, 1985).
• Removal of all the obstacles on way – When change is brought about there are various problems and issues that could be encountered on the way. These obstacles have to be overcome and proactive steps or the measures should be taken in this regard.
• Creation of Wins for short term – The long term winning strategy is achieved through the breaking of long term win into several short term wins. These will not only break the task but also achieve it easily.
• Building of the change – This setting of goals and objectives for the implementation of successful change. This will also comprise of the checking, auditing and proper tracking of the movement of the plan for the change.
• Anchoring of the change in corporate culture – The change once implemented has to be anchored in the corporate culture. The achievements, defects and scenarios that have to be overcome have to be discussed and spoken with various team members so that change is successful.

Comments

Kotter’s change model is very crucial for the correct implementation in the company. It will help in successful implementation of change. Communication should be often done among the team members and the management so that the change is accepted as a process. It even gets modified as per the requirements.

TASK 3

LO3Evaluate the positive and negative impact of this change process and how this is monitored. Write a summary to assess the impact of the change on organizational stakeholders

In this task the positive and negative impact of the change would be discussed. An analysis on the impact of the change on the organizational stakeholders would also be done.

AC3.1Evaluate the impact of change process on individuals in the organization

Whenever any change is brought about in the organization, it leaves positive as well as the negative impact on the employees. These are employees only who are linked with the change. The positive impact of the change on employees would be:

• They will learn new skills and competencies. When they would have to work on different projects, they would get training and gain new skills and competencies. This helps them grow with the company.
• They will grow and succeed along with the success of the company. When the software implementation change in Info Edge would be successful and the company will grow then employees working in it who has also contributed will also grow with it.
• They will be able to prove their credibility and realize their potential for the development of the company. This change implementation is actually the time when the employees have to show their performance, potential and reliability with support to the organization. This way these employees get an opportunity to show their credibility to the company.

The negative impact of the change on the employees would be:

• The employees who could not change and show their performance will not get growth and may not remain consistent with the company. The company will not keep unsuccessful people in it. In case it has to grow it has to keep highly skilled and competent manpower with it (Damanpour, 1991).
• These employees who could change themselves with the change implementation would become frustrated and unsatisfied. They will also act as a hindrance in other employee’s path thatis performing.

It is usually said that change happens for the positive only. Unless the employees accept it with full spirits and clear vision, they will not be able to implement it successfully.

AC3.2 Assess the impact of the change on organizational stakeholders

Change will definitely impact the organizational stakeholders. They are the people who have profits and loses linked with the success of the company. They are really and completely terrified till the change proves out to be a success for the company. They sometimes fight also in case they feel that change would take away their profit and investment margins. These stakeholders will become happy and satisfied when the change brings volumes of business, competitive edge and profit margins to the company. This is because they will also have share in it that would be increased from previous times and vice versa (Van de Ven& Poole, 1995).

Comments

Change brings positive as well as negative impacts with it. This impact leaves an impression not only on the employees working for the company but also its stakeholders. It is important that change is brought about after thorough analysis and evaluation.

TASK 4

LO4 Identify which organizational objectives are going to be addressed and/or achieved by this change. Analyze what the impact of the change has been for the organization describing how this is monitored and how success is measured

In this task a discussion would be carried out on the various organizational objectives that could be achieved with the help of the implementation of the change. A discussion on the ways by which the change could be monitored and measured would also be done.

AC4.1Analyze the impact of the change on achievement of organizational objectives

Info Edge had been on 25^th number as a positioning in the IT market, it was due to its non-existence in the software which had been gaining popularity. Once the change is implemented in terms of the software implementation and business for the bank and retail companies, it will open up its ways towards the progress. They will gain a competitive edge over other IT companies as they will have both the services and can offer a comprehensive package on the IT services to various companies. They will earn on more revenues and profitability. The objectives that Info Edge has set for itself would be achieved easily. It will come at a more significant position in the organization. Employees would also grow and stakeholders would also get benefited. The overall profitability and success of the enterprise could be achieved through this means. It used to be only in hardware and the companies which were successful had software specialization. Once Info Edge will gain success in even the software implementation, it will be able to succeed in its business operations.

Comments

When a change is implemented and it gets successful, it helps the companies in achievements of its objectives in full. Info Edge would be able to achieve its objectives as it will work towards the positive side and become a comprehensive service provider for hardware and software solutions (Vosniadou, 1994).

TASK 5

LO4 Construct a management plan to demonstrate how the change process will be implemented and how it will be monitored. The plan should identify how individuals in the organization will be involved and supported during the change process. Analyze the outcome of the change process against the organizational objectives being addressed to measure the level of achievement. Describe how secure support for the plan from senior management by taking a business case

In this task a plan would be development for the employee involvement, management strategic implementation and monitoring of the change process.

AC5.1Describe how secure support for the change process from senior management

Senior Management plays a very critical role in the change process and its implementation. They have to support the team which is involved in the change implementation in all the ways. It has to make sure that they do not doubt on the credibility and reliability of the team. They have to support them from the financial point of view as well. In case sometimes, the budgets get exceeded they have to approve the budgets and help the company and team in achieving them. They do not have to interfere in all the steps of the change process. They should believe and give full freedom to the employees so that they do not have to wait for the small decisions that have to be taken in the change implementation. In case the budgets exceed and employees submit the revised proposal then management should not take time to approve it and ensure that a time does not get wasted.

AC5.2 Demonstrate how individuals in the organization will be supported during the change process

It is important that all the individuals are supported for the successful implementation of the change:

• They will be given ample resources to make their change a successful implementation.
• They will be given financial approvals and budget specifications for the change (Damanpour, 1987).

AC5.3 Construct a plan to implement and monitor the change process

Monitoring of the change is very crucial in order to realize the level of its achievement. The plan for the implementation and monitoring of the change process is as follow:

• By organizing weekly, monthly and bi-annually meetings with the managers and management. These meetings will help in reviewing the status of the change implementation and even in case employees facing any issues or problems; they would be addressed immediately without any delay or loss of time.
• By checking through audit process and progress of the checklists as defined for the change process. Checking and Auditing will help in finding out if there is any deviation from the objectives then that could easily be tracked and controlled.
• Mapping the skills and competencies of the employees working in this project so that in case training or learning and development are required is being given to them. This will help in imparting the necessary employability skills and expertise to the team involved in the change implementation.

AC5.4 Analyze the outcome of the change process against the change plan and organizational objectives

Once the change is implemented, the outcome would be positive and successful in case the successful monitoring process has been implemented along with change process. It may be negative in case there is no track, auditing of checking of the change process has been done. Also organizational objectives are achieved when the changes are successfully implemented within the company. Company will be able to exceed the expectations of the employees, its objectives and even the clients and customers requirements. Banks and Retail companies that have requested Info Edge for software comprehensive services will remain satisfied and happy with the company. Company will gain both hardware and software outsourcing solution from these clients gaining revenues and profitability (Weick & Quinn,1999).

Comments

Change monitoring and progress tracking is very crucial for the implementation and achievement of the company objectives. During the change process it is essential that employees and the team working on it is completely supported and backed up for the implementation of the change process.

Conclusion

Change is an opportunity that will definitely bring positive as well as negative impact on the employees and the stakeholders of an organization. Info Edge being a hardware company had implemented software solutions in its services. By following the Kotter’s step of change management and implementation, it was able to bring about growth and success in the organization.

References

Armenakis, A. A., &Bedeian, A. G. (1999). Organizational change: A review of theory and research in the 1990s. Journal of management, 25(3), 293-315.

Bordin, E. S. (1983). Supervision in counseling: II. Contemporary models of supervision: A working alliance based model of supervision. The Counseling Psychologist.

Damanpour, F. (1987). The adoption of technological, administrative, and ancillary innovations: Impact of organizational factors. Journal of management,13(4), 675-688.

Damanpour, F. (1991). Organizational innovation: A meta-analysis of effects of determinants and moderators. Academy of management journal, 34(3), 555-590.

Garvin, D. A. (1985).Building a learning organization. Org Dev&Trng, 6E (Iae),274.

Konovsky, M. A. (2000). Understanding procedural justice and its impact on business organizations. Journal of management, 26(3), 489-511.

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