Reference no: EM132218914

Assignment Description

One of the most difficult tasks that leaders can face is initiating organizational change. As a leader, you need to be sensitive to the ever-changing internal climate and external environment.

For example, changes in the market, products, and competition may all be factors that lead to a need for change. Applying organizational development (OD) techniques to management problems is an essential skill because the primary task of leadership is to manage change; however, before a change can be implemented, the organization must anticipate the need.

To date, the executive team has been reactive to the situations affecting their department and is unfamiliar with a systems approach to OD. Based on what you already know about the climate and external factors affecting Heavy WorX, what conditions or organizational needs exist that may provide the impetus for a large-scale organizational development or planned change program?

Develop a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate to the executive leadership team some potential problems at Heavy WorX that could be changed using OD principles.

Define and describe what it means to use a systems-based approach to change, such as social-technical systems theory, and discuss the benefits of such an approach.

What OD steps or planned change models would you follow at Heavy WorX?

How will you modify these steps or phases to tailor them to the specific needs of Heavy WorX?

Scenario

After many years of experience in lower and middle management roles, the scope of your responsibilities now broadens in your newly acquired position as the director of change management with Heavy WorX, Inc., a midsized manufacturing company.

Citing the challenging economic environment, the company consolidated its operations, eliminated approximately 43 percent of its total workforce, and closed three manufacturing plants earlier this year. Although downsizing was a necessary means for the company to cut costs, the company is now suffering from the fallout of the poorly devised restructuring plan.

Heavy WorX, Inc. produces iron castings, focusing on transportation, construction, agriculture and industrial markets worldwide.

The markets served are wide and diversified, including automotive, truck, agriculture, construction, hydraulics, and a host of other specialties. For several years, the company was relatively successful but now it is in a slump. Team members are working harder than ever before, but the profits are going nowhere.

Decreased product demand means that business is slow, and the pressure to improve performance is felt by each team member and every department. Team members are concerned about employment stability and the likelihood of future opportunities.

Your new position serves as a tremendous opportunity for you to gain valuable experience. The position of director of change management is also a newly created position in the company, so its roles and responsibilities are loosely defined. The stakes are high, and immediate results are critical to the future of the company.

The company has seen its share of changes and is in need of real solutions that will provide both short-term and long-term results.

Any new changes must increase efficiency and create more trust among team members as well as cooperation between departments. In the weeks to come, there will be several challenges and opportunities as you become acclimated to the company's current organizational climate and work to understand the short-term and long-term needs of the organization to propose effective solutions.