Origins of Change Management

Change is the process of making someone or something to look different from its original view. Hence, change management is the application of techniques that deal with change, whether in an organizational setting or individually. Change is a complex aspect that is hard to adapt, despite it being constant. It is also a broad topic that needs to be split for easy understanding. There are different types of change. There are three types of change: developmental, transitional and transformational, Ackerman (1997).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Origins of Change Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Developmental change is usually planned for and it involves the techniques applied so as to develop a process or skill at a certain angle in an organization. Transitional change seeks at the implementation of a new idea, totally different from the existing one being used. It is also planned. Transformational change is an assumption based type created by the members of an organization. These transformations make an organization differ in terms of its structure, strategies and its processes. There are various theories that have been put forward to explain the origin of change. There was the general Contingency Theory. It uses the principle of â€Å"it depends†. For example, when the best leadership or management has to be put forth, it would depend on the situation or institution being considered, For instance, in a hospital or university, a more participative style has to be considered since there is a lot of consultation required. According to this theory, some factors had to be considered before implementing the change that had been planned. Under management, the â€Å"depending factors†, which contribute to the change, are dependent on an organization. Other theories explaining the origin of change management are either contemporary or historical. Contemporary theories of mana gement Systems theory has a direct impact on the adaptation of change in an organization. A system is a unified entity comprised of several single units linked together to form the complete entity. The withdrawal, as well as introduction of one aspect of the company causes a noticeable change. A system is formed by four main aspects. These are inputs, processes, outputs and outcomes, all of which bring common feedback to the system. Inputs are the resources that are first considered in the organization. After completion of the processes, outputs such as services and goods come about as a result. Outcomes would be maybe the improvement of the quality of life by the targeted group using the latter. Feedback would be the reactions of the human resource group who undertook the overall running of the processes. It could also be from members of the public who used the service or product. The external environment could also provide feedback; for instance, policies from the government, effe cts of technology and the economic conditions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This theory may seem very easy to implement, but many organizations over time have been unable to incorporate it into their systems. However, with the competition facing many companies, some managers have tried to incorporate it. This new way of looking at an organization has caused tremendous changes not only in the management but also in the overall outlook of a company. This theory has an effect of enabling managers to effectively supervise all aspects of the organization. This involves the general administration and supervision of workers, unlike traditionally when managers only specialized on a specific area of the management. The chaos theory also tries to explain the origin of the change management concept. The random events experienced in general life were also experienced in the organizat ional setting. Some managers over the years believed that these organizational events could somehow be controlled. The chaotic theory states that events are often not controlled. Theorists of this aspect normally compare this theory to the biological nature. They claim that systems naturally enter into a complex state whereby they change their form and become volatile. They require more energy to sustain their complexity, as they continue changing their structure, until it finally splits. On splitting, they combine with other complex systems or even the pieces exist entirely on their own. Since these processes are uncontrolled, the same concept is applied in management. Many organizations and the world as a whole undergo such processes. Change is part of it and to companies is the trend. A practical example would be an organization that recruits employees from a different company. These employees come with some aspects of their previous company which would either positively or negat ively affect the current company. These factors are sometimes adapted by the new company employees hence bringing change that cannot be easily controlled into it. With such changes reaching the top management, the entire management would have been altered and made complex. If for some reason the managing director of that company decides to quit and go start another company, he would incorporate the many skills he or she would have acquired from various companies he or she would have worked for.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Origins of Change Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The result would be a more sophisticated management. It is therefore clear, how this theory has had an effect on various organizations, especially with the uncontrollable changes that come with it. Historical theories of Management Scientific Management Theory (1890-1940), was developed by Frederick Taylor. Over the years, it was observed that large companies went through a routine work of manufacturing products for their customers, hence having the same management. The theory espoused this careful measurement and specifications of activities by the companies. He brought about the standardization of tasks to companies that were involved in routinized activities and tasks. Bureaucratic Management Theory (1930-1950), established by Max Weber, brought in a different perspective from the scientific theory. He based his theory on the division of organizations into smaller units. A proper authority and control was then to be established amongst these units to form a complete system. He stated that a detailed standard procedure of activities was to be administered by the specific units and comprehensively develop the organization. Human Relations Movement (1930-today) came as a result of the reactions from the two theories. Governments and unions identified the dehumanizing effects of the theories; for instance th e stress experienced by an individual with his/her unique qualifications and hence capabilities to the companies. Human resource departments were then introduced to organizations. Its responsibility was to relate the qualification of their employees to the needs of the organization and then balance them out. The department was also supposed to measure the input required in a certain sector of the organization and provide sufficient workforce, to reduce on the strain by few individuals.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Overview of the research on change management and innovation In this fast world, organizations are facing changes in development sin all aspects; including economically, technologically and globally. These changes are causes of challenges facing organizations, risks and business uncertainties, and managers have a great responsibility in ensuring that they adapt to these changes and cope positively. Strategies are being put forward by companies to cope up with the competition and other challenges being faced as a result of the eruption of many companies. An organization is to improve on its development by having planned change for an increased effectiveness. (Cummings Worley, 2005, pg. 1). Strategic planning is a factor employed in curbing the competitive changes. It is considered wise for an organization to plan for how to tackle change rather than waiting for the change to take place and then react towards it. Innovation has been considered to be the best solution for this. Organi zations put into practice the creative ideas by its members in coming up with new and acceptable products and services for their customers. To increase their efficiency, the latest technologies have to be adapted. This may involve the use of computer-in-manufacturing as well as the incorporation of the ERP systems. This adoption of technology affects the employee body that has to be acquiring skills and techniques of incorporating the technologies. For a company to succeed, it has to have a competitive advantage over other companies. (David, 2005, pg. 8) It is therefore important for the various organizations to put into focus the importance of innovation as a way of managing change in their management for them to maintain continuity and a profitable growth. Innovation leads to a better competitive edge, which leads to more profits for the stakeholders. References Ackerman, L. (1997). Development, transition or transformation: the question of change in organizations. London: Oxford Publishers. Cummings, Thomas G. Worley, G. (2005). Organization, Development and Change. (8th Ed). Mason, Ohio: Thomson South-Western. David, Fred R. (2005). Strategic Management: Concepts and Cases. (10thEd). Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall. This essay on Origins of Change Management was written and submitted by user Bryleigh Wolf to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Disengagement Theory

Disengagement Theory Book Def: Elaine Cumming and William Henry introduced this theory to explain the impact of aging during one’s life course. My Def: Turning away from the social norms of everyday life to embrace old age, terminal illness, and possibly death. Activity Theory Book Def: This theory argues that elderly people who remain active and socially involved will be best adjusted. My Def: Elderly persons who stay socially and physically active in the mainstream of society will be better off than withdrawing from society. Defending The Better Of The Two Personally, I feel that the Activity Theory is the better of the two. This theory is better for elderly persons because it doesn’t put up a barrier between generations socially or in the workplace. I argue that this theory is the better of the two because it pushes for a more healthy society. I feel that the â€Å"withdraw† of elderly persons from a society is harmful for both the elderly persons themselves and society as a whole. An example of this would be: Elderly persons withdrawing from a society’s workforce to embrace old age causes them to find another means of income, forcing that income to come from the remaining society’s workforce. Many of the elderly whom withdraw from society have to find a means by which to pay for medical problems, forcing society’s workforce to pay more money into medicade, drawing more money away from society’s workforce. From the conflict perspective’s viewpoint, I agree that social interaction â€Å"must† change or decrease in old age. The upper class does not have to worry about the side effects of withdrawing from society due to more wealth, pension plans, retirement packages, and insurance benefits. Also from the conflict perspective I have to defend the disengagement theory due to new trends and new technologies in society as the years move on. This causes a social gap for the elderly and th... Free Essays on Disengagement Theory Free Essays on Disengagement Theory Disengagement Theory Book Def: Elaine Cumming and William Henry introduced this theory to explain the impact of aging during one’s life course. My Def: Turning away from the social norms of everyday life to embrace old age, terminal illness, and possibly death. Activity Theory Book Def: This theory argues that elderly people who remain active and socially involved will be best adjusted. My Def: Elderly persons who stay socially and physically active in the mainstream of society will be better off than withdrawing from society. Defending The Better Of The Two Personally, I feel that the Activity Theory is the better of the two. This theory is better for elderly persons because it doesn’t put up a barrier between generations socially or in the workplace. I argue that this theory is the better of the two because it pushes for a more healthy society. I feel that the â€Å"withdraw† of elderly persons from a society is harmful for both the elderly persons themselves and society as a whole. An example of this would be: Elderly persons withdrawing from a society’s workforce to embrace old age causes them to find another means of income, forcing that income to come from the remaining society’s workforce. Many of the elderly whom withdraw from society have to find a means by which to pay for medical problems, forcing society’s workforce to pay more money into medicade, drawing more money away from society’s workforce. From the conflict perspective’s viewpoint, I agree that social interaction â€Å"must† change or decrease in old age. The upper class does not have to worry about the side effects of withdrawing from society due to more wealth, pension plans, retirement packages, and insurance benefits. Also from the conflict perspective I have to defend the disengagement theory due to new trends and new technologies in society as the years move on. This causes a social gap for the elderly and th...

The Social Side of Decision Making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Social Side of Decision Making - Essay Example Analyzing Bennett's response, the reason why I agreed to his analysis was because I applied my answer based on the events that happened to be the circumstances of the case. Looking at the man's profit as a result of continuous instead of isolated and deterministic events, my line of reasoning would indeed be similar to Bennett's. That the man earned $10 because, after all the transactions he engaged in, he ended up with a profit of $10. However, taking into account Amy's response on the problem, it surfaced that logically, and within the business context, the man ended up earning $20, for the two determined transactions stated in the case. Thus, the difference between Bennett's and Amy's response was the context in which both members analyzed the problem. Bennett considered the man's transactions as a continuous process, hence producing a profit of $10. Amy, on the other hand, applied the case in terms of isolating each transaction conducted by the man, hence coming up with the $20 a nswer. An important principle shown in the activity is the application of the right context in a problem in order to come up with the right or correct answer.

HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN WHY WOMEN UNDERTAKE MOST PAID AND UNPAID CARING Essay

HOW CAN WE EXPLAIN WHY WOMEN UNDERTAKE MOST PAID AND UNPAID CARING WORK - Essay Example Women are always contemplated to be the ones doing maximum household chores & taking care of the family’s emotional & physical needs, since it is considered a women’s responsibility. The western society claims to follow the equal rights theory, conversely the practiced inequality is the proof of male dominance throughout society speaks against it. Feminism & patriarchy have always been in existence throughout the ages, pondered & acknowledged as a natural dissent. Women being assessed as auxiliary were proven by the feminist groups in the 1960’s.The ongoing campaigns by feminist groups were able to secure some legal & political rights for women in U.K. in the early 90s. However the recent times witnessed the move from suffering women to their social & economic status in the society claiming that modern women are still under suffering patriarchy. It is clear that the gender division in labour has reformed over the last forty or so years. Albeit the move to modernism; the patriarchy theory has travelled along. The division of labour with men, being the bread-winner of the family & dominating the work area as well as home & women regarded best for domestic work, it being a feminine activity. Even when males & females share a work sphere, the wage levels are mostly kept biased not just in under developed countries but in western districts as well. Women, being mothers have always been characterised as soft hearted & caring naturally. Therefore, the male dominance in society is widely accepted & supported by many with ease. Its is not a hidden fact that women nowadays are coming forward & proving to be great competition with men in every industry or field, hence this theory about women being unable to bear workload is proven wrong. Women are more active in the care related fields as compared to men; the statistics of a survey in 32 local authority areas in Scotland prove this right. As many as 74% women, 72%

Biodiversity and Ethno botanist Exploitation by Pharmaceutical Essay

Biodiversity and Ethno botanist Exploitation by Pharmaceutical Companies - Essay Example Many medicinal plants were thus planted in farm gardens so that they could be used for treating fast illnesses whenever they occurred even without the intervention of other remedies. Physicians, midwives and herbalists in the 1800s were specifically trained in the use of medicinal plants to solve various medicinal conditions. During this time, plants parts were widely used by medical practitioners to cure various ailments in line with the teachings they received in their learning institutions. The pharmaceutical industry has flourished for a long time going by the number of large and highly profitable pharmaceutical companies that exist especially in wealthy countries today. The industry greatly relies on plant derivatives and should reasonably be at the forefront in pushing for plant conservation according to (Lapinskas par 1). Like every other business entity, pharmaceutical companies have profits at the top of their agenda. Indeed, without profits, they are doomed to fail however worthy their courses are. In order to remain in business, the companies have to seek ways of maximizing their profits and minimizing their costs. These two objectives are usually achieved by engaging in research with an aim of developing new products, improving efficiency and using cheaper raw materials. Pharmaceutical organizations use plants in two main ways; as raw material and as inspiration for new products according to Lapinskas (par 3). These organizations have established massive screening programs to identify plants that could be used for making new drugs, thousands of compounds being analysed every year in this respect. When a compound is... This report stresses that the use of herbal medicine among pharmaceutical companies has really grown in recent times and most modern pharmaceutical firms trace their origin from plant products and the knowledge of ethnobotanists or indigenous peoples. Most pharmaceutical companies have grown huge interest in herbal medicine and this interest has led them into believing that there are great profits in medicinal plants, thus they have turned their focus towards indigenous land and knowledge for new resources that can be used in developing new drugs. The knowledge of ethnobotanists is in great demand and usually sought by pharmaceutical companies and medical researchers in their fight to come up with new medicines and products for commercial exploitation. This paper makes a conclusion that the importance of plants in the development of drugs cannot be underestimated. Indeed many of the drugs that sit on the shelves of pharmaceutical companies are a result of plant derivatives some of which originated from remote parts of the world. Many arguments have been posted regarding the exploitation of plants, ethnobotanists, herbalists and indigenous people by large pharmaceutical companies. While some argue that the companies are innocent in that they commonly manufacture synthetic compounds similar to those derived from plants to come up with mass-produced products, others argue that the companies unduly exploit resources without regard to the environment and those who contribute the knowledge. Going by the arguments posted above, it goes beyond doubt the later argument holds more water.

Wal Mart organizational change management analysis

Wal Mart organizational change management analysis Organizational Change Management encompasses all activities aimed at helping an organization successfully accept and adopt new technologies and new ways to serve its customers. Effective change management enables the transformation of strategy, processes, technology, and people to enhance performance and ensure continuous improvement in an ever-changing environment. A comprehensive and structured approach to organizational change management is critical to the success of any project that will bring about significant change. Organizational change is a reality of the modern world, and that reality isnt likely to change anytime soon Organizational change is the implementation of new procedures or technologies intended to realign an organization with the changing demands of its business environment or to capitalize on business opportunities. Organizational change typically encompasses the introduction of new and perhaps unfamiliar processes, procedures, and technologies, which represent a departure from what affected individuals generally view as the established, practical, and familiar ways of doing their work. Thus, at the individual level, change can engender emotions and reactions that range from optimism to fear, including anxiety, challenge, resistance, ambiguity, energy, enthusiasm, helplessness, dread, motivation, and pessimism. Organizational change management is the process of recognizing, guiding, and managing these human emotions and reactions in a way that minimizes the inevitable drop in productivity that accompanies change. WAL-MART AT A GLANCE Wal-Mart, founded by Sam Walton in 1962, is one of the world largest companies by market capitalization and number of people employed and touching millions of customers everyday. There are more than 7,800 Wal-Mart stores and Sams Club locations in 16 markets worldwide and there are more than 2 million associates serving more than 100 million customers per year (About Us, n.d.) It is the largest grocery retailer in the United States with an estimated market share of around 20% of the retail grocery and consumables business. To be able to efficiently operate such a complex operation at such a large and do it consistently would only be possible by the huge effort by Wal-Marts associates as its employees are called. Companys Principle Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (Wal-Mart) has enjoyed success by adhering to three basic principles since its founding in 1962. The first principle is the concept of providing value and service to our customers by offering quality merchandise at low prices every day. Wal-Mart has built the relationship with its customers on this basis, and we believe it is a fundamental reason for the Companys rapid growth and success. The second principle is corporate dedication to a partnership between the Companys associates (employees), ownership and management. This concept is extended to Wal-Marts Vendor Partners who have increased their business as Wal-Mart has grown. The third principle is a commitment by Wal-Mart to the United States and the communities in which stores and distribution centers are located. Wal-Mart strives to conduct its business in a manner that reflects these three basic principles and the resultant fundamental values. Each of our Vendor Partners, including our Vendor Partners outs ide the United States, are expected to conform to those principles and values and to assure compliance in all contracting, subcontracting or other relationships. Saving people money to help them live better was the goal that Sam Walton envisioned when he opened the doors to the first Walmart more than 40 years ago. Today, this mission is more important than ever to our customers and members around the world. Companys Profile: Wal-Mart: the worlds leading supermarkets. Founded in 1962 by the Walton brothers, former employees of Ben Franklin supermarket, Wal-Mart is now the leading supermarket group in the world. With what has become a real empire of more than 5,300 superstores, supermarkets and stores, Wal-Mart distributes every product we need in life (from food to beauty products, together with clothes, electronics, domestic appliances, sports equipment and so on) whether it be under the Wal-Mart name or under that of SAMs Club, a members-only store dedicated to SMEs and the general public, or that of ASDA in Great Britain. Not to mention its on-line sales service. Originally aiming to set up stores in medium-sized towns in the United States, Wal-Mart has since taken on the international market, from Mexico, Brazil, and Canada to Great Britain, as well as Japan with the 2002 take-over of Seyu, the fifth-placed Japanese supermarket chain, without forgetting Europe with the Great-Britain and the Germany. Companys Mission Through careful search, I have established that Wal-Mart does not officially have a mission statement. In retrospect, the mission statement is its slogan, Always low prices, always! The CEO of the company has said that people are not concerned with their mission statement as much as they are their prices. Companys Structure Sometimes I find myself reading through the court documents for lawsuits filed against Wal-Mart. Usually those documents are filled with a bunch of garbage posing as factual information. Occasionally, though, some interesting information is found. Below is a description of Wal-Marts operating structure which was published in a court document in 2003. The only advantage to reading the text here is that I removed all of the legal cross references and footnotes to make the text readable. The following should be taken with a grain of salt in that this information was produced from an anti-Wal-Mart lawsuit and does not come from the companys official filings. There are a total of 41 regions: 35 Wal-Mart regions and six Sams Club regions. Each region is supervised by a Regional Vice President (RVP), who is based in Bentonville and travels for three weeks out of each month to the region. Because the regional management is based in Bentonville, Wal-Mart has an unusually high concentration of executives and managers based in the Home Office. Each region, in turn, contains approximately eleven districts; each district contains approximately six to eight stores. Each district is run by a District Manager, who lives in the field. The highest level hourly manager at Wal-Mart is Support Manager. The next step up is to management trainee, a four-to-five month program which prepares employees for positions as Assistant Managers. The first salaried management position is Assistant Manager. Each store has several Assistant Managers, varying with the size of the store. The next level is Co-Manager, a position used only in larger stores. The top store p osition is Store Manager, called General Manager in Sams Clubs. The stores contain 40-50 different departments. Companys Vision SAFETY EYEWEAR PROGRAM An estimated 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces every day, caused by employees not wearing eye protection or wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job. Flying particles, flying or falling objects, or objects swinging from a fixed or attached position (like tree limbs, ropes, chains or tools) are just some of the hazards that lead to accidents. Most people dont realize that an eye can be destroyed in a fraction of a second. The smartest and most effective safeguard against these risks is always wearing suitable eye protection. Many workplaces today are required by OSHA to ensure their employees wear safety glasses meeting the new ANSI Z87.1-2003 standard for personal protective eyewear. OPTI- DIRECT VISION PROGRAM Discover a simple, cost-effective way for your company to provide vision benefits for your employees without the complexities of an insurance vision plan. The Opti-Direct program can mean an average savings of more than $70 per year, per employee in comparison to a traditional vision insurance plan. Companys Characteristics Wal-Mart is almost certainly not an example of pure competition. Pure competition is characterized by a very large number of sellers each with an almost infinitesimally small market share selling a non-differentiated product. Wal-Marts market share is immense (as you stated) and they differentiate their product through branding measures that include everyday low prices, convenient hours, etc. There can be tough competition in every market structure (except monopoly) but that does not mean that the market meets the definition of pure competition. Company Products Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., like most large retail and grocery chains, offers store brands, commonly referred to as house brands or generic brands, which are low-priced alternatives to name brand products. Wal-Mart has numerous store brands, each catering to a different consumer need or desire. Almost all products offered under Wal-Mart brands are private label products, and can be found in almost every category at Wal-Mart. Major Names: Sams Choice: Sams Choice originally introduced as Sams American Choice in 1991, is premium retail brand in food and selected hard goods. Named for Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, Sams Choice forms the premium tier of Wal-Marts two-tiered core corporate grocery branding strategy that also includes the larger Great Value brand of discount-priced staple items. Most Sams Choice beverage products (excluding Grapette and Orangette) are manufactured for Wal-Mart by Cott Beverages. Other products in the line, including cookies, snack items, frozen meals, and similar grocery items are made by a variety of agricultural and food manufacturers. Great Value: Great Value was launched in 1993 and forms the second tier, or national brand equivalent (NBE), of Wal-Marts grocery branding strategy. Products offered at Walmart through the Great Value brand are claimed to be as good as national brand offerings, but are typically sold at a lower price because of minimal marketing and advertising expense. As a house or generic brand, the Great Value line does not consist of goods produced by Wal-Mart, but is a labeling system for items manufactured and packaged by a number of agricultural and food corporations, such as ConAgra, which, in addition to releasing products under its own brands and for Wal-Mart, also manufactures and brands foodstuffs for a variety of other supermarket chains. As Wal-Marts most extensively developed retail brand, covering hundreds of household consumable items, the Great Value line includes sliced bread, frozen vegetables, frozen dinners, canned foods, light bulbs, trash bags, and many other traditional groc ery store products. The wide range of items marketed under the Great Value banner makes it Wal-Marts top-selling retail brand. The new redesign also includes over 80 new items including thin crust pizza, fat free caramel swirl ice cream, strawberry yogurt, organic cage-free eggs, double stuffed sandwich cookies, and teriyaki beef jerky. Walmart changed the formulas for 750 items including: breakfast cereal, cookies, yogurt, laundry detergent, and paper towels. The new brand was tested by over 2,700 people.[1] Other retailers are following suit with their private label packaging as well. MARKETING ENVIRONMENT The Wal-Mart and all of the other actors operate in a larger macro environment of forces that shape opportunities and pose threats to the company. There are six major forces Demographic Environment Demography is the study of human populations in terms of size, density, location, age, sex, race, occupation, and other statistics. It is of major interest to marketers because it involves people and people make up markets. Demographic trends are constantly changing. Economic Environment The economic environment of Wal-Mart are those factors that affect consumer purchasing power and spending patterns Natural Environment The natural environment involves natural resources that are needed as inputs by marketers or that are affected by marketing activities. During the past two decades environmental concerns have steadily grown. Some trend analysts labeled the specific areas of concern were: Shortages of raw materials. Staples such as air, water, and wood products have been seriously damaged and non-renewable such as oil, coal, and various minerals have been seriously depleted during industrial expansion. Increased pollution is a worldwide problem. Industrial damage to the environment is very serious Government intervention in natural resource management has caused environmental concerns to be more practical and necessary in business and industry. Leadership, not punishment, seems to be the best policy for long-term results. Instead of opposing regulation, marketers should help develop solutions to the material and energy problems facing the world. Technological Environment The technological environment includes forces that create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities. Political Environment The political environment includes laws, government agencies, and pressure groups that influence and limit various organizations and individuals in a given society. Various forms of legislation regulate business. Marketing Strategy of Wal-Mart Wal-Marts marketing strategies are based upon a set of two main objectives that have guided the firm through their growth years. The customer is featured in the first objective; Customers would be provided what they want, when they want it, all at a value. Team spirit was emphasized in the second objective, Treating each other as we would hope to be treated acknowledging our total dependency on our associate partners to sustain our success. I agree with Wal-Marts two main objectives. The customer objective includes giving the customer what they want at a reasonable value. The second objective covers the foundation of the company; its employees. Employees are the basis for success of the company and drive the day-to-day operations. Wal-Marts employees, feeling like associate partners, gives them a feeling of empowerment and pride that drives the companys culture. Wal-Mart has launched successful marketing strategies that considered factors like social and environmental causes.. CHANGE PROCESS IN THE ORGANIZATION Change is a complex process, and also included with a time of anxiety and uncertainty for the workforce. Organizations need to clearly articulate the merits of change and present a clear process for achieving change, if they are to win the commitment and enthusiasm of people. Wide involvement in and communication of the change project can assist with employee understanding of the what and how of change. ORGANIZATION LIFE CYCLE Before planning a management strategy is important to carry out organizational life cycle to identified in which stages the organization are. After analyzing it if identified that Wal-Mart are in Elaboration of structure phase because it ensures Managers seek ways to streamline any excess bureaucracy that has cropped up during the previous phase. Decisionmaking becomes de-centralised, allowing individual departments to get organised along specific product/services lines or projects. Often the need at this phase is to revitalise the organisation. Innovation Fig: 1: The Organizational Life Cycle of Wal-Mart BUSINESS PROCESS TRANSFORMATION MODEL Business process modeling is a technology aimed at modelling business processes and analyzing them with the objective of using the analyses to drive process transformations. Business process modeling tools have underlying capabilities such as simulation that helps business analysts to understand and quantify the impact of different process transformations on process Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Even though business process modeling is widely used, analytic capabilities such as simulation are used to a much lesser degree because developing and running simulation models and interpreting their results is seen as a complicated activity by a majority of business analysts. As a result, many business analysts consider such tools as only suitable for experts in the field and are hampered in unlocking the full potential of business process modelling for identifying and assessing business process transformation options. Hence, there is a need for researching approaches that enable busine ss analysts to use quantitative analysis methods easily towards the overall objective of business process transformation.. Business process transformation is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service, and speed Business process Transformation is a top-down approach. It is not about projects carried out in isolation to examine a specific activity. Business process transformation is about looking at entire processes, rather than at specific activities or functions. It also needs to be customer-centric and look at the chain of activities leading to the customer output (whether that is service or product). Wal-marts mission statement: Wal-mart mission is to enhance and integrate our supplier diversity programs into all of our procurement practices and to be an advocate for minority- and women-owned businesses. To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same thing as rich people BEHAVIOURS THAT NEEDED FOR ACHIEVE THE MISSION AND AIM Optimize resource capacities This pattern results in potential reduction of operating costs, by reducing resource capacities in different roles. Optimize resource scheduling policies This pattern results in potential improvement in service and reduction in cost, by refining the scheduling policies governing the allocation of resources to different activities. Combine roles This pattern results in potential reduction in operational costs, by creating new roles in the process, by aggregating multiple existing roles. Change branching probability This pattern results in potential operational improvements, by modifying the probability that a specific branch is chosen by a token. The change in probability may in turn be realized by different means, such as employing improved technologies for managing flows, etc. Introduce business integration solutions, IT (InformationTechnology) systems This pattern results in potential improvement in operating costs, by automating the process using business integration and other information technology STAKE HOLDER ANALYSIS The purpose of stakeholder analysis is to inform the Project Board and Project Manager who should contribute to the project, where barriers might be and the actions that need to be taken before detailed project planning. Key stakeholders of Wal-Mart A Key stakeholder is a stakeholder whose interest in the project must be recognised if the project is to be successful. In particular, those who may be positively or negatively affected during the project or upon successful completion of the project Shareholders The management authority of the BPL Employees Physicians / Doctors Related banks Participants The retailer The distributor Supplier The non key stakeholder A Non-key stakeholder is a stakeholder who does not need to be recognised in order for the project to be successful, but will be identified as s result of the process of identifying all stakeholders Pressure group Taxation authority The Standard testing Institute Local community Political influences International policy SYSTEM MODELING The 7-S-Model The 7-S-Model is better known as McKinsey 7-S. This is because the two persons who developed this model, Tom Peters and Robert Waterman, have been consultants at McKinsey Co at that time. Thy published their 7-S-Model in their article Structure Is Not Organization (1980) and in their books The Art of Japanese Management (1981) and In Search of Excellence (1982). The model starts on the premise that an organization is not just Structure, but consists of seven elements: Strategy Actions a company plans in response to or anticipation of changes in its external environment. Structure Basis for specialization and co-ordination influenced primarily by strategy and by organization size and diversity. Systems Formal and informal procedures that support the strategy and structure. Style / Culture The culture of the organization, consisting of two components: Organizational Culture: the dominant values and beliefs, and norms, which develop over time and become relatively enduring features of organizational life. Staff The people/human resource management processes used to develop managers, socialization processes, ways of shaping basic values of management cadre, ways of introducing young recruits to the company, ways of helping to manage the careers of employees Skills The distinctive competences what the company does best, ways of expanding or shifting competences Super ordinate goals These represent the aspirations of the organisation, the beliefs, the principles and aims which should pull it towards success. A shared view of this within the organisation is a powerful competitive advantage for an organisation to develop Resources: Recourses needed for achieving the new markets Established a new plant for production Ensure better quality Set up new marketing channel specially for the international markets New management and trained staff Finance Political support Marketing environment IMPLEMENTATION Implementing the Change A practical understanding of how people and organizations respond to change. This is received by a exporters to understanding how change unfolds helps reduce the amount of unproductive behavior that may accompany the implementation of a new technical solution by reducing the amount of uncertainty involved in change. Reduced uncertainty alleviates surprises and better equips people to focus time and energy on the technical solution. The manner in which change unfolds can be broadly grouped into seven key concept areas. These areas are: Nature. The impact of change on the individual. Process. The typical flow of change. Roles. The positions that are central to change. Resistance. The reactions that accompany change. Commitment. The process by which individuals and organizations align with change. Culture. The organizations past and present ways of doing things and the influence of these behaviours on the change. Synergy. The impact of teamwork on the change. Making Good Decisions Decisions are the alignment of an organizations current and planned changes with the resources available for implementing the initiatives. For an organization to be successful in implementing change, it must ensure that the demands created by its change initiatives do not exceed the organizations capacity for executing the changes. When change demands exceed the organizations capacity for change, key resources become overwhelmed by the number of changes competing for their time. The result is an increase in dysfunctional behavior that detracts energy from the implementation effort and, in many cases, impedes its process. Ensuring adequate capacity for existing and planned change demands generally involves: Inventorying current and planned changes and evaluating them to determine their potential value, impact, and resource requirements. Prioritizing changes according to this evaluation. Determining current capacity to implement changes. Trimming current and planned changes as necessary according to capacity limits. Developing and implementing strategies to increase overall change capacity to expand organizational adaptability. Structured Implementation Architecture: The structured plan for achieving the desired goals through implementation of the perceived change solution. Following a structured, yet flexible, implementation framework reduces errors and oversights and allows a team to proactively address issues that are routinely associated with the failure of organizational changes. Such a structured framework consists of seven phases which, when applied as a system, facilitate successful implementation of an initiative. The seven phases are: Clarification. Development of a comprehensive vision and measurable outcomes that are wholly shared by key leaders. Announcement. Development and execution of a detailed communication plan. Diagnosis. Assessment of critical risks and key levers associated with the change. Planning. Development of comprehensive strategies to mitigate risks and use levers identified in the diagnosis phase. Execution. Implementation of developed strategies. Monitoring. Continuous assessment and augmentation of an implementation sequence. Evaluation. Assessment of a complete implementation sequence, and documentation and transfer of key learnings. Recommendations I feel that Wal-Marts most challenging issue involves the publics resentment. Wal-Mart has wiped out numerous retail establishments (too many to count) and will continue to do so unless stopped. So far, some big box opponents have stopped Wal-Mart from specific expansions but Wal-Mart is definitely fighting back. From Wal-Marts point of view, I think more focus should be spent on global expansion. If specific areas are so against having a Wal-Mart that they pass laws to stop Wal-Mart from building in their area, I think Wal-Mart should stay away. For example, Wal-Mart would have a terrible time expanding into Oakland. I would assume that with the laws that were passed, a great deal of negative press also took place. The time and effort to get a Wal-Mart built in Oakland may not be worth the trouble. This is one of the reasons I feel Wal-Mart should focus on international expansion. There were 1,355 international Wal-Marts in 2004. I definitely feel that expanding this number sounds l ike it could be very lucrative. Another issue facing Wal-Mart is the federal lawsuit regarding sex discrimination. From the numbers quoted in the case study, it sounds as though Wal-Mart is clearly discriminating against females. This is somewhat surprising but will hopefully be fixed. Wal-Mart is very thorough in their strategy, maybe they need to be more thorough and/or detailed in their compensation and incentive policies. Wal-Mart definitely needs to end the discrimination. In order to avoid future discrimination, monitoring of wages and salaries should be established. This is especially true for upper management employees, where females are paid significantly less than males in similar positions. Last, I feel that the compensation and benefits offered to Wal-Mart employees are somewhat of an issue. If only about 60 percent of employees have health coverage (compared to 72 percent in the retail industry as a whole), I think their benefit package needs to be revaluated. The case study claims that the reason many employees did not sign up for health coverage is because they obtained it through a member of their household. Im sure that is the case for some, but not all. Furthermore, Wal-Mart does not pay any health care costs for retirees. I feel that both examples are methods Wal-Mart uses to cut costs and both need to be reconsidered. CONCLUSION Management change in the organization is the key to adopting with new technologies. Though it a complex and continuous process but every organization should practice this new techniques to manage and operate he organization successfully.

Achilles As Hero Essay -- essays research papers

Achilles As Hero Despite the grand scope of Homer’s epics--which present warfare, heroism, adventure and divinity as forces that shape human destiny—The Iliad may be seen as an account of the circumstances that irrevocably alter the life of one man: Achilles, greatest of warriors. Through the course of the poem, Achilles goes through many ordeals, which changes his character immensely.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One example of such a character change is when he is quarreling with Agamemnon. Achilles and Agamemnon have an extreme amount of tension building between the both of them. Apollo has been wiping out the Achaean army for nine days (years) because of a priest’s daughter who has been kidnapped. Through some questioning, it is derived that the only way Apollo will stop killing the Achaean army is if Ag...