CHANGE MANAGEMENT C721
PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Student Name: Jessica Smith
Course: Change Management – C721
Date: September 27, 2018
A. Discuss the need for change for the company in the scenario using either the systems
contingency model or the organizational life cycle model.
Using the systems contingency model, analysis of ABC Widget Company was conducted
to determine the need for change at each level of the organization. While ABC has grown
exponentially in overall sales and has expanded into the international market, some concerns
have arisen in regards to maintaining this rate of growth and sustaining the current operations
level were the structure and functions to remain the same. While comparing the elements of the
model to the corresponding areas within the company, it has become clear that some changes will
need to be conducted.
While the history of ABC shows strong leadership and growth, the top-down leadership
style of management will have a significant effect on both the transformation and output stages
of production in the future. Due to the hierarchal nature of this management style where
decisions are being made at the upmost tier, employees tend to feel a level of disconnect with the
vision and strategy of the company, other workers and management, the structure, and ultimately
the cultural environment. Because they have no input on decisions, employees generally lose
their sense of empowerment resulting in creativity, innovation, and problem solving diminishing
to near non-existence. Additionally, no training or development is being offered to ABC’s
workforce, allowing for little to no growth or advancement opportunities. This low morale and
, near-dictatorial approach to leadership can create an atmosphere of resentment, which creates a
barrier to change and growth by shutting down desire for cooperation.
ABC has shown strong growth and rise in market share, but no organization can maintain
their competitive advantage without buy-in from the people that are transforming resources and
other inputs into the ultimate product. A dissatisfied workforce will not continue to work at the
level of efficiency needed to maintain rate of growth nor sustain it. Without competitive edge, the
significant market share will begin to decrease. Changes to leadership structure, employee input,
and organizational culture are therefore recommended.
In addition to the areas listed above, the company has not updated processes or inventory
management software, creating a significant bottleneck in terms of efficiency during the
production/transformation stage. This will have a growing negative impact on performance,
effectiveness, development, growth, and customer satisfaction with the resulting outputs. It is
further recommended that the company take immediate action to evaluate and update both
processes and software.
B. Describe the differences between a learning organization and a traditional organization.
There are many distinctive differences between a learning organization and a traditional
organization ranging from the ways that new ideas and processes are implemented, leadership
roles, and the overall direction of the organization.
In a traditional organization, most, if not all, decisions are made by top-level leadership
with little to no input from employees. Information is gathered at lower levels in the hierarchy
and slowly moves its way up, works its way through top management, then slowly makes its way
back down again (Acrobatiq, 2017). This obviously prohibits efficiency and proactivity due to
slow response times. Because decisions are made at the uppermost levels, employees lack
empowerment to make decisions and are not given opportunities to learn and grow. The lack of
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