Change in a Company - Report Example

Part Summary of the Qualitative and Quantitative Instruments and Data Collected The qualitative instrument used in this case is the online interview method that was used to collect data about change in the company. Qualitative method is useful in this case as it gives the respondents the chance to express their opinions on what they feel about a change situation and how it presents itself in the company. Interview method is most appropriate in this case as it allows the interviewer to be able to receive extra information and better explanation to a given point. This instrument therefore shows some extent of flexibility where the interviewee is not just restricted to a given choice of response, but is free to give out their opinions. Interviews were conducted through online where respondents were contacted and were required to respond to given questions. The interviews questions were given the open ended structures that also attracted open ended answers from the respondents. A respondent required to answer six sets of questions which varied, but also were about their opinions and actions about their change experiences at work and how they normally react about them. The data collected using this instrument was inform of opinions that were then grouped into three themes in order to make the findings easy to analyze. The major categories of themes used here included communication, action and elements for successful change. Another method of analyzing the qualitative data here was through comparing the word counts between the male and female respondents as well as the management experience and the age difference in the organization. On the other hand, quantitative method was also used to collect data, and in this case, questionnaire was the instrument used. This instrument involved the use of a set of well structured questions that were then administered to the respondents. The questionnaire was made with already formulated choice of responses that the respondents were required to choose their responses amongst. This method is very useful in data collection since it controls the kind of responses that the respondents should give to make the responses easier to analyze. The responses were defined in a scale of 1 to 6 depending on the level at which the respondent agrees with the variable in question. With response 1 representing how strongly the respondent disagrees with the variable, response 6 represents how strongly they agreed with the variable in the question. According to the summary table of the respondents’ responses on the questions, more than the average number of the respondents somewhat agreed with the questions asked. Averagely, more respondents somewhat agree with the first, fourth and fifth questions, while a majority of respondents somewhat disagreed with the second and third respondents. The summary therefore tells us that, most of the respondents somewhat agree that they complain about change to their coworkers. This also applies to those who voice concerns about their bosses to their friends as well as those who voice concerns about the managers above them in the hierarchy to their friends. On the other hand, concerning questions 2 and 3, about speaking negatively about everyone at work and complaining to people about change outside work, most of the respondents somewhat disagree with these views. This shows that, most of the respondents do not speak negatively about their coworkers at work and they do not also they do not like complaining to people about change outside work. This can easily show that, most people have averagely good relationships at work and also talk about change in the work place, but not outside. It is also true, however that, most of the respondents somewhat agrees that they complain about change to their coworkers, which is a good thing since through that, they can champion for change. Again, most of them voice concerns about their bosses and managers to their friends. This shows that, they are afraid to talk to the managers and bosses directly, hence, cannot share with them the issues about change directly. Part 2: Decision that CEO Should Make Sweeping Organizational Change According to the data collected, the qualitative data through the interviews show clearly that the CEO should implement sweeping organizational changes at this time. This is supported by the fact that, most of the respondents speak about the change with their coworkers, even though, most of the time, the rarely speak about it by those in the higher leadership positions in the organization. An example of a quote from the interview that supports this opinion is that, "I communicated to the management chain that I believed in the new direction [then] I emphasized to my subordinates the importance of the change." Again, those indifferent with the change in the organization are few, and this is a similar case with those who are resistant to change in the organization. Secondly, why the CEO should carry out the change in the organization at this time, most of the respondents feel that when they are in support of the change initiative, they plan and execute the actions quickly and work to motivate others. This is supported by a quote from the interview that "Jumped right in. Learned what I needed to do... Did whatever needed to be done. Encouraged others to get on board and prove what we could do." Again, when the quantitative data is analyzed, most of the respondents somewhat agree that they complain about change to their coworkers. This might mean that the workers are fed up with the current working situation and want a change but the problem is that they cannot face their seniors with the issues, hence just discuss it with their coworkers. In as much as most of the respondents somewhat disagree about speaking negatively about change to everybody at work and that they complain about change to people outside work, a majority of them voice their concerns about their bosses to their friends and also voice concerns about their managers above them in the hierarchy to their friends. This only shows the CEO that the workers really need the change like immediately; the only problem with them is that, most of them do not have the courage to voice their concerns directly to their bosses and those managers higher than them in the hierarchy. The fact that most of the respondents somewhat agreed that they complain about change to their coworkers also strengthens the point that they really need the change but only a few of them can speak about it with the bosses and the managers who should spearhead change in the organization. The only problem is that, it seems like most of the respondents do not want to voice their concerns about change to the right people, therefore, initiating the change can be very difficult without involving the top management of the organization. Part 3: How Kotter’s eight Steps of Change are fulfilled According to the data collected, the Kotter’s eight steps of change are fulfilled, or not in various cases. To begin with, in the first step, most of the respondents did not show a sense of urgency that might therefore lead to change initiatives. The CEO should therefore be advised to first to examine the organization and competitive realities in order to find out whether there is a call for a change in the organization or not. However, when step two is being considered, most of the respondents express that they would bring people together and lead the change initiative once they feel there’s a strong reason for the change. This therefore shows that the respondents have considered this Kotter’s step of change in their interviews about views on change. Most of the respondents were seen to be sharing the change complains with their coworkers, this is an indication that they would be ready to create a guiding coalition so as to enable all of them to lead the change and work together as a team. Again, most of the respondents were not seen to address the issue of vision and strategy development. This is, according to Kotter, is very necessary in giving direction to change and motivating people. The CEO should therefore be advised to develop a change vision and strategy in order to be able to monitor the change process and ensure that it follows the laid down strategies and the vision of change is also achieved or not. On the fourth step for change, most of the respondents were seen to be fulfilling this step of communicating the change vision. This was depicted through the informal communications that some respondents agree to have had between them and their coworkers. Through the informal communications, the key players of change get to be discussed to allow the workers to understand the reason for change. The fifth step is on empowering broad-based action, and this can be done by doing away with those who are indifferent with the change or those who are resistant to change. Any kinds of barriers and obstacles to change really need to be done away with during the implementation stages of change so that the change drivers can find a smooth through way to ensure the change strategies and visions are met. It is also not clear whether the respondents recognize the sixth step about generating short-term wins, however, it is very important that CEO should implement this step. This will allow him to be able to reward those who win, or those who lead to promote change in the organization, hence allowing the others to also strive towards emulating the good example that has been rewarded. They will all be going for a reward, and to get a reward, one must win; therefore, they will be striving to implement the change. The responses do not also recognize the seventh step of consolidating gains and producing more change, but it is also a very important step to note. The CEO should use the credibility that has been created to change all structures, systems and policies that are not in, line with the vision of transformation. He should also take the opportunity to promote, hire and develop employees who are in support of the transformation. Lastly, the CEO should also anchor new approaches sin the corporate culture. Promotion and succession should be altered to be in line with the new organization transformation in order to promote it. The managers should help in firmly anchoring the change so that the employees can see its benefits that promote customer satisfaction. Part 4: how a Leader Can Prepare the Employees for Change According to Ketter, a leader can prepare an employee for change through introducing some rewards where the employee has done it well to support the transformation. This will motivate the employee and even other employees to work even harder to achieve the reward next time. Again, a leader can prepare employees for change through employing, promoting and developing employees who are supportive of the change. In this case, everything is bound to run in accordance with the laid down strategies and vision. The leaders should also develop strategies and visions that are supportive of the transformation to be initiated in the organization. The leaders, according to Ketter, should also firmly anchor the changes to the culture to allow the employees to see how the change leads to customer satisfaction. Never to forget, the leaders are also charged with the responsibility of bringing employees together to work together as a team in order to support the change vision. This is just as some of the respondents stated that they discuss about change by their coworkers. Part 5: Frequency Distribution Figure Frequency Distribution Figure Respondent 1 Frequencies strongly Disagree 1 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 3 Somewhat Agree 0 Agree 1 Strongly Agree 0 Respondent 2 Frequencies strongly Disagree 1 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 2 Somewhat Agree 2 Agree 0 Strongly Agree 0 Respondent 3 Frequencies strongly Disagree 0 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 0 Somewhat Agree 5 Agree 0 Strongly Agree 0 Respondent 4 Frequencies strongly Disagree 0 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 2 Somewhat Agree 0 Agree 0 Strongly Agree 3 Respondent 5 Frequencies strongly Disagree 0 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 4 Somewhat Agree 1 Agree 0 Strongly Agree 0 Respondent 6 Frequencies strongly Disagree 0 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 1 Somewhat Agree 2 Agree 2 Strongly Agree 0 Respondent 7 Frequencies strongly Disagree 0 Disagree 0 Somewhat Disagree 1 Somewhat Agree 4 Agree 0 Strongly Agree 0 Respondent 8 Frequencies strongly Disagree 0 Disagree 1 Somewhat Disagree 3 Somewhat Agree 0 Agree 1 Strongly Agree 0 Read More