Organisational change strategies
A pertinent skill that all managers find helpful is identifying, developing and implementing change strategies within an organisation. The Organisational Change Strategies course is about identifying, developing and successfully implementing change strategies to meet organisational goals and objectives, using a range of management skills and techniques.
On successful completion of the Organisational Change Strategies course, you will receive the course certificate awarded by Magna Carta College.
The Implementing Organisational Change Strategies course is for anyone who needs to be able to implement organisational change. It will therefore be very relevant for Directors, Chief Executives and other senior managers who could be called upon to undertake it at any point in their career.
There are four Learning Outcomes which you will cover in the course. On completion you will:
- Understand how to apply solutions to organisational change
1.1 Identify a range of organisational change, models or frameworks
This unit establishes why change takes place (Handy) and outlines how change impacts upon organisational behaviour. The models and process frameworks and models to consider are as follows:
- The balanced scorecard
- The big picture
- Business Process reengineering
- EFQM Excellence model
- Kaizen Blitz
- ISO 9001 Quality system
- Six Sigma
1.2 Apply a range of creative problem solving techniques to address change challenges
There are several creative problem solving techniques to change challenges in your organisation. These include:
- Lateral thinking (Edward De Bono)
- Mind mapping (Tony Buzan)
- Brainstorming (Alex Osborn)
- Rich pictures (Peter Checkland)
- Focus groups
- Away days
- Innovations laboratories
There is also Kirton’s approaches to problem-solving where you can relate an organisation to innovator – orientated creativity or adaptor-orientated creativity.
1.3 Identify and justify change solutions that link to organisational strategic plans
Having looked at models which instigate change, and applied creative problem solving techniques, you will be able to identify and justify change solutions. These will be matched against organisational aims and objectives and checked for alignment.
- Understand how to develop a change strategy using implementation models
2.1 Evaluate a range of change implementation models
The change implementation models are:
- Lewin’s Unfreeze, change and unfreeze model, and Force field analysis
- Beckhard and Harris’s taged process of change model
- Beckhard, Harris and Pritchard’s The change equation
- Kotter’s Eight-stage process
- Balogun and Hope Hailey – The change kaleidoscope
- Johnson and Scholes – The cultural web
2.2 Identify the criteria to select a change implementation model that supports organisational change
The criteria to use to select the most appropriate model include the following:
- Does the change implementation model enable me to follow a systematic approach?
- Are all stages clearly outlined?
- Does the change implementation model allow me to factor in the strategic vision clearly?
- Does the model enable me to consider potential resistance to change?
- Does the model allow me to consider potential periods of uncertainty?
- Does this model enable me to identify the cultural impact of change? Does the model allow me to consider the impact on individuals within the organisation?
- Does the model value the importance of communication of change?
- Understand how to analyse an organisational response to change
3.1 Demonstrate the use of analytical tools to monitor the progress and the effect of change
All change programmes need to be carefully constructed so that their success can be monitored throughout all stages of the process – at the beginning, the middle and the end. The Balanced Scorecard criteria can be used in line with organisational culture and values as analytical tools in monitoring the progress and effect of a project. Nelson and Aaron’s Stages of Commitment and the Kubler-Ross Change Curve are other useful tools.
3.2 Assess monitoring and measurement techniques to change within an organisation
Your assessment should acknowledge both positive and negative aspects of the tools and techniques, and could show consideration of questions like:
- Was monitoring carried out over a period of time – or just at the end?
- Was the focus on the “people” component?
- Was hard factual data used as a means to judge how well the project was performing? Or was it a mixture of both hard and soft measures?
3.3 Analyse strategies to minimise adverse effects of change
You will consider change initiatives that have taken place within an organisation and analyse strategies that could have minimised any adverse effects on a range of stakeholders. What worked well? What didn’t work well? You will consider causes of resistance or barriers to change using Force Field analysis. A range of strategies that could enhance the experience will be considered, for example – effective communication about the reason behind the project, connecting with employees from the outset of the project or dealing with resistance in an upfront and positive way.
- Be able to evaluate the impact of change strategies
4.1 Identify the processes to review the impact of the change
You will evaluate the impact of a change programme in stages. Even within the same organisation, opposing views may exist on how a change programme’s success was interpreted – this ambiguity can be reduced by using appropriate processes such as Kotter’s model, or Beckhard and Harris’s change model, or the American Evaluation Association, who identified two main levels for evaluation: strategic evaluation and operational evaluation.
4.2 Analyse the results of the impact review
Consider how results have been analysed within your own experience of a change initiative. Results from the impact review will come from different sources – hard measures to rate success include:
- on-time achievement of stages in the plan,
- growth in revenue,
- increased number of inquiries,
- reduced processing time, for example.
Benchmark data will provide useful information. In addition, you can access soft data through staff surveys or 360 degree feedback techniques. Soft measures to rate success are likely to include the people aspect and will concern – motivation levels, morale and behaviours – that can be assessed through surveys or formal discussions.
4.3 Present the findings of the impact review
Presenting findings from the impact review will be determined by the nature of the project and its level of impact on the organisational strategy.
Everything you need to successfully pass is included and there are no additional fees.
In addition, you receive Affiliate Membership of the CMI which gives you access to their excellent Management Direct. It is a complete online library of comprehensive and up-to-date material that addresses current management practice.
This course is assessed by a 3,500 word written assignment. There is no examination required.