Exam 7: Managing Change and Innovation

In a short essay, list and discuss the three categories in which the options for management to implement change fall.

eVolve - Reorganisation eVolve is a mid-size company designing and developing e-commerce websites for retailers.It has been operating for the last 15 years with many of its original staff.It has had all the traditional departments: sales, accounting, web designers and HR.The company has been very successful, recruiting dozens of new customers each month.Since their clients have been very happy with their work, eVolve has had many new clients referred by word-of-mouth, and now they have a much greater demand for their services.The CEO has consulted the department heads and they have decided that the best thing to do is to restructure the company into a team-based structure, where cross-functional teams work together on different projects.The decision has been made public and employees have begun to respond.While some employees are very supportive of the idea, some fear that it would lead to greater confusion and inefficiencies, which will result in poorer performance.Others are concerned about the possibility of losing their positions.Management has considered these thoughts, but is still determined to move ahead with the change. -Refer to eVolve - Reorganisation (Scenario).If management starts to make offers to resistant employees in exchange for their cooperation, they would be using ________ as a way to address resistance to change.

Changing Culture Mandy recently returned from her two-day managerial seminar, 'How to Totally Change Your Management and Leadership Style in Two Days'.Even though she felt the seminar was worthless (as she had predicted), it did give her a chance to think about how to change the culture of her organisation.She had been brought in by the new CEO as a change agent, and her position had the authority to have impact.She felt that the recent hostile takeover by their parent company had shocked everyone, especially given that the entire organisation consisted of only 150 people and had been in business for only five years.She felt this might be the time to attempt the cultural change while everyone was still thinking in terms of change.As she tossed her leadership seminar manual into the bin, she considered what might be her first step and how well the cultural change would work. -Refer to Changing Culture (Scenario).Of the following, which is an advantage that Mandy has to implement cultural change?

'Co-optation' refers to covert attempts to influence.

According to the textbook, organisations need to see sustainability as a driver for, and as a barrier to, innovation.

Changing Culture Mandy recently returned from her two-day managerial seminar, 'How to Totally Change Your Management and Leadership Style in Two Days'.Even though she felt the seminar was worthless (as she had predicted), it did give her a chance to think about how to change the culture of her organisation.She had been brought in by the new CEO as a change agent, and her position had the authority to have impact.She felt that the recent hostile takeover by their parent company had shocked everyone, especially given that the entire organisation consisted of only 150 people and had been in business for only five years.She felt this might be the time to attempt the cultural change while everyone was still thinking in terms of change.As she tossed her leadership seminar manual into the bin, she considered what might be her first step and how well the cultural change would work. -Refer to Changing Culture (Scenario).Of the following, which statement about her company's previous culture would be most advantageous to Mandy accomplishing a change?

Organisational cultures tend to resist change.

Making Change Happen Colin was getting accustomed to his surroundings in state government.His efforts at getting people to accept change had met with a little resistance due to his and his new director's efforts and the hard work of his subordinates.But now the hard part had really started - actually managing the change.What techniques could he and his department's new director employ to most effectively implement changes that would result in increased productivity in his department? He considered changing three aspects of his department: the structure, technology and people. -Refer to Making Change Happen (Scenario).Finally, Colin decided his people could benefit from ________, a method of changing behaviour through unstructured group interaction.

A leadership change can facilitate cultural change.

As ________, managers should be motivated to initiate change because they are committed to improving their organisation's effectiveness.

The first step in accomplishing organisational cultural change is to initiate a reorganisation.

Probably the most visible technological changes in recent years have come through managers' efforts to expand ________.

Which of the following represents the relationship between organisational culture and change?

The manager's options for change essentially fall into three categories: structure, technology and product.

According to the textbook, competitive factors or new innovations within an industry often require managers to introduce all of the following EXCEPT ________.

According to the textbook, 'changing structure' includes alteration in any of the following EXCEPT ________.

According to Kurt Lewin, which of the following is NOT a stage in the change process?

Lewin's theory is consistent with which view of organisational change?

In a short essay, describe, compare and contrast the 'calm waters' and 'white-water rapids' views of organisational change.

Which of the following is NOT a cultural variable that supports innovation?