Organizational behavior concepts and applications

¶ … change management. It begins by describing three internal and three external drivers of change. Factors a leader needs to weigh to implement change is then discussed. The kinds of resistance a leader may face are overviewed as well as strategies that can be used to manage resistance. Finally, how leadership styles affect change management are also covered.

Organizational Behavior

Internal and External Drivers of Change for an Organization:

Internal drivers of change are aspects within the organization that make possible strategic change.

These drivers of change differ depending whether or not the organization is proactive or reactive, by nature. Proactive organizational change drivers can include the internal values possessed by the organization. Change is often facilitated by the values that the organization holds dear, and the desire to live up to those values. The mission of the organization too can be an internal driver of change, as the organization strives to fulfill a predetermined mission. For reactive organizations, disappointing performance can be a powerful driver of change, as the organization reacts and takes steps necessary to better their performance, as financial performance is one of the main drivers of change (Worrall, Cooper & Campbell-Jamison, 2000).

External drivers of change come from outside the organization. Reactive organization can find new regulations or standards within their industry a powerful driver of change.

Changing markets is a significant driver of change for proactive organizations. They see the marketplace changing and know that they must flex in order to remain competitive. and, benchmarks are an influential external driver of change, for proactive organizations. By taking the best of the best, proactive organizations are able to fine tune their processes and procedures to increase competitiveness.

Factors a Leader Needs to Weigh to Implement a Change Strategy Successfully:

There are several factors a leader needs to take into consideration when implementing a change strategy, to ensure its success. First, they must determine why the change is necessary and how they are going to achieve this change. This must include a clearly defined approach to the change and unwavering leadership. Solid communication must be built into the process, and all stakeholders must have full buy in to the change.

Cultural issues must be addressed and accounted for in developing the change strategy. and, the leader must consider the political influences at play within the organization. The right people must be in place, prior to the change implementation and employees at all levels must be involved. Once implementation begins it needs to be conducted as quickly as possible. In the end, leaders need to understand that change is not simply an event, it's a process that is made by the individuals within the organization first, before it can take effect throughout the organization (Schaafsma, 1997).

Kinds of Resistance a Leader Might Expect to See:

Forces of resistance reduce an organization's ability to implement change strategies, which often directly affect their competitiveness.

There are four primary kinds of resistance to change a leader may encounter. The first is structural resistance. This resistance may lie in the organization's rigidities as demonstrated by their current structure.

Closed mind-sets of organizational members offer another form of resistance to change. This is often found in a dedication to obsolete business strategies. Organizational members may simply not see the value in the change to occur, when compared to existing processes and procedures. Dan Sweeney, a vice president at IBM's retail consulting practice, found IBM in exactly this situation.

The corporation was stuck in their mechanistic command and control model, a business strategy that had lost its effectiveness (Engdahl, 2005).

The organization may also be entrenched in organizational culture that simply isn't conducive to change. In some instances the organizational values can be a powerful motivator of change, however, in others, it may be a strong resistor. This is especially true in the instances where organizational members don't have the skills needed to facilitate change.

Strategies an Organization Can Employ to Manage Areas of Resistance:

Internal structures that are prohibitive to change can be changed to be less restrictive. Organizational culture must also be made to embrace change; this begins with embracing change from management. Resistance to change can also be managed by translating the contributions being made by the entire organization into individual results.