Identify and assess the process of planning and managing change within an organization. What role
should HR play in change management?
The following conditions must meet in the essay:
1) I want a typical and a quality answer which should have about 830 words.
2) The answer must raise appropriate critical questions.
3) The answer must include examples from experience or the web with references from
relevant examples from real companies.
4) Do include all your references, as per the Harvard Referencing System,
5) Please don�t use Wikipedia web site.
6) I need examples from peer reviewed articles or researchs.
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DQ.W6: Planning and Managing Change
Change is imperative in any organizations and managers should understand the
appropriate strategies to employ to institute change. People or stakeholders welcome change
differently. Some may resist change while others adopt change easily. The significance of
change plays tremendous role on the manner with which change is received. It therefore
requires proper planning and management. This discussions, identifies and assess the process
of planning and managing change within an entity. It also delineates on the roles of HR in
change management.
Change involves moving from known to unknown and this may affect people worth,
competencies and coping abilities. Many members in an entity may not support change unless
they are convinced on the value of the change. This requires good planning in creating
readiness and overcoming resistance. To create readiness, the change agents need to
understand the reason for the change (Clardy, 2013). The change should have some benefits
to the entity in short and in long run. In planning, appropriate strategies should be adopted.
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People should understand and see the need for changes. One of the strategies is to sensitize
the organizations to pressurize the members to accept change. The other strategy is to identify
the discrepancies between the current and the desired/expected sates and lastly is to convey
credible and positive expectations for the change (Atkinson, 2014). People want to
understand how the change will affect them. If they perceive that, the change is positive and
of value, it then becomes easy to persuade them to accommodate the changes.
In organization, resistance to change comes from three areas including, political
resistance, technical and cultural resistance. Cultural resistance takes the form of procedures
and systems that promote status quo that promotes conformity of existing norms, values and
assumptions. Political resistance arises when the changes in organization threatens powerful
stakeholders while technical resistance emanates from procedures and consideration relating
to costs. Change initiatives therefore, focuses on leadership, culture, process, strategic and
quality (Elida-Tomita, 2010). The entity should therefore have understanding of the specific
change initiative when planning for the change. In planning and managing changes, it is
important to create a vision that provides a limelight of what the change is going to bring in
future. The vision describes the purpose and core values that can hide the organization as it
envisions its future on which change is directed. Vision encourages commitment as it creates
a common goal and compelling rationale for why change is required and worth. Clardy
(2013) identifies seven functional requisites for effective change management; increasing
readiness for change in the entity, management approval, preparation of leaders, motivating
employee for change, putting into operation change interventions, validation of change
process and embedding change in the organization. If these are considered, success in
change process is guaranteed.
Change as well requires enough support hence it becomes important to develop
political support to institute the changes. Various political dynamics requires considerations
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when instituting this change and include carrying out assessment of the change agents’
power, identifying the key stakeholders that the change will affect and those that will
implement the change (Geldenhuys & Veldsman, 2011). It is also essential to identify
influencing stakeholders to use them to support the implementation of the changes.
Managing this transition is also very critical. Implementing changes involves
movement of one state to another often-desired future state. At this stage, it is important to
understand major activities involved in this transition that includes activity planning,
commitment planning and change management structures. Activity planning entails making
road map for change. Appropriate activities required to make the change happens are cited
and integration of discrete change takes place. Commitment planning requires identification
of key people that will help formulate strategy to gain support (Wilson, 2014). Changing
management structures should be created to help in mobilizing and promoting change
Change requires to be sustained to ensure achievement of the goals and objectives.
For this to occur, it requires provision of resources for change, building of support systems,
development of new skills and competencies, reinforcement of new behaviors and staying on
the course.
Human Resource plays a critical role in change management. Human resources are
viewed as the facilitators, architect and designers of changes in an organization. They have a
key role in participating in all programs that pertains to change (Wilson, 2014). They play a
role of planning as well as implementing changes in an entity. They participate in the
planning processes whereby they evaluate various viewpoints before deciding on the most
important one. They strategically forecast initiatives and directions in an entity to help in the
development of business strategy for the directions and initiatives (Wilson, 2014). HR as well
determines the specific action points and elements that execute the actions to trigger the
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change. In change process, they also identify the performance targets for the various action
points and establish appropriates communication plans for the process of changed.
HR as well acts as agents of change in an organization. As agents of change, they
provide impetus suitable for conducting change at every level of an organization. They align
the top management with the rest of employees, provide appropriate structured framework for
change, identify and establish working change management processes and influence the
process of change through communication (Christensen, 2014).
HR as well are expected to build positive relationship at the work place. They must
provide solution to problems as they arise and manage any conflicts, resistance and risks
through proper and coordinated effective communication. Various organizations have gone
thorough change process and succeed by adopting to appropriate strategies in planning and
management of the change processes. Examples of these organizations include, Pepsi, Apple.
Inc., and many others.
In conclusion, change is inevitable in any entity. Change initiatives may include
leadership, process, and cost, cultural or strategic change. This requires proper planning and
management. HR plays a key role in change planning and management as they provide
insights on the best way forward. Successful change process must as well consider all the
stakeholders.
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Reference List
Atkinson, P 2014, ‘ How to implement change effectively,’ Management Services, Vol. 58
no. 3, pp. 33-38.
Elida-Tomita, T 2010, ‘Strategies and tactics regarding change communication within
organisations. real example regarding communication change in an organisation,’
Studies in Business & Economics, Vol. 5 no. 2, pp. 111-119.
Christensen, M 2014, ‘ Communication as a Strategic Tool in Change Processes,’
Journal of Business Communication, Vol. 51 no. 4, pp. 59-385.
Clardy, A 2013, ‘ Improve the Process for Managing Change,’ Performance
Improvement, Vol. 52 no. 9, pp. 33-44.
Geldenhuys, C, & Veldsman, T 2011, ‘A change navigation-based, scenario planning process
within a developing world context from an Afro-centric leadership perspective,’ South
African Journal of Human Resource Management, Vol. 9 no. 1, pp. 1-17.
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Wilson, J 2014, ‘Managing Change Successfully,’ Journal of Accountancy, Vol. 217 no.
4, pp. 38-41.
