management

Describe the relationship between an organization’s strategy, structure, and culture. Why do organizations have to change? Where would you start if you had to change the organization at Wal-Mart or any other big organization? What are some of the barriers to change that you might encounter? How would you overcome the barriers?

The strategy of an organization is simply the road map designed by the organization’s management to help it achieve its goals and objectives. The modern business world is very competitive and it is therefore very important for an organization to have a clear roadmap that can help it achieve its targets (Leban 13). The structure of an organization refers to how an organization connects its internal resources. The type of structure an organization adopts depends on the organization’s functions. The organizational strategy drives the company in the sense that the structure of an organization can not function without being connected with the organizational strategy. An organization can’t achieve its targets if its strategy and structure are not synchronized. The overall strategy of an organization is facilitated by the structure of the organization which needs to be continuously linked for the organization to continue being productive (Leban 13). An organization that does not inter-link its strategy and structure is at great risk of losing the market share of its products because a structure that does not relate to the strategy makes an organization to become less competitive. A global company such as Wal-mart operates on a multi-divisional structure that favors its strategy of doing global business. There is a very strong correlation between the structure of an organization and its culture. The organizational structure is very formal where all the stakeholders within an organization are assigned different roles and effective communication systems put in place by the management to help members work together towards achieving common organizational goals (Leban 46).

The procedures and policies of an organization are driven by the structure of an organization because it is very tangible and visible. The behavior of managers and other company associates is to a large extent influenced by company procedures and policies. One of the most overlooked themes in organizational management is the relationship between organizational structure and culture. The structure of an organization operates under the company’s culture. The culture of an organization forms the larger umbrella under the organizational strategy and structure that thrives. The larger picture of an organization is represented in its culture. The efficiency and consistency of an organizational culture entirely depend on how the structure is set up in terms of infrastructure and practices. Any organization regardless of its function will thrive and achieve its targets if it has a practical and efficient culture that guides its strategy and structure.

Structure and strategy are specific segments of culture that play a very important role in how the organization’s culture is set up. The management of an organization works according to the company’s structure (Leban 112). Interrelated groups within an organization can work together if the organizational structure remains consistent with the company’s culture. Coordination and effective communication channels within an organization are very important elements brought about by an effective organizational structure. Since the main objective of a business is to grow and increase in size, a good structure and strategy make sure that the objective is achieved through phases. When an organization is credited with having a healthy culture, then its strategy and structure are responsible for that. Many companies are adopting the cultural model of leadership since its benefits have been proven beyond doubt. Structure, strategy, and culture are the three fundamental elements that an organization can not survive without (Leban 112).

Organizational change is very important for any company that wants to grow and become successful. There are various causes of organizational change depending on the structure, strategy, and culture of the organization. A company needs to modify its processes and products since consumer behavior is not always constant. Technological advancements together with the ever-changing consumer needs make a change in an organization inevitable. When the product of a company reaches the maturity stage in the product lifecycle, it is necessary to initiate change since the returns from the product begin to dwindle. A company can respond to such a challenge in quite a several ways such as the production of a superior product and introduction of new technologies (Leban 145).

Change can also be necessitated when a company decides to stop the production of a particular product and instead invest the resources in another more promising venture. The exit strategy can bring a lot of changes to the organization as the company tries to find the best way possible to remain relevant in the ever-competitive market. New leadership or management within an organization is also another major cause of organizational change. The new management can come up with new policies and procedures for running the organization that must be followed by all the stakeholders. Different leaders have different styles of leadership that can influence change within an organization. Government agencies are examples of organizations that experience changes whenever there is a change in the leadership of a country. The other cause of organizational change is acquisitions and mergers which affect processes and resource allocation. When two companies merge, business operations are expected to change as well as the organizational structure (Leban 145).

Strategic change is another major cause of organizational change since the focus of a company’s functions is completely shifted. An example of this is when an organization that used to be customer-oriented changes to become product-oriented. When a company changes its process and introduces new systems, the physical infrastructure and other elements of the company’s strategy are bound to change to sustain the new system. Logistical and operational changes are key highlights of a product-oriented change (Leban 156). While initiating organizational changes, it is important to understand where the change should start. Those with the responsibility of managing change within an organization must first of all strive to change the minds and way of thinking of the employees and other stakeholders.

It becomes much simpler for an organization to initiate change if the employees and other stakeholders are well informed about the need for change. The management needs to assume that the employees understand and perceive change just like them. The company leadership should provide training for their employees for them to be in a position to see and understand why the company needs to make some changes. Change comes with structural changes and it is therefore very important for the employees to be well informed in advance if there is going to be a change in roles and responsibilities. Employees that are psychologically prepared for change tend to respond positively. Fear and skepticism on the side of employees only come when change is not communicated to them with the required clarity (Leban 156). The staff needs to understand how the change will affect them to prevent them from coming up with wrong notions about change. Organizational change should begin from the top management as a way of leading by example.

There are certain barriers to organizational change that must be overcome for an organization to fully realize the objectives of change. Since organizational change leads to complete restructuring and planning, there is no doubt that it is bound to face some challenges. Social barriers are the first ones to be encountered because some people find it difficult to accept change. New processes and systems are sometimes very difficult to be accepted and it takes a lot of effort by the management to help the employees accept changes within the organization. Change can be very difficult for a group since there is a possibility of new policies and processes being inconsistent with the norms of the group (Leban 165). Social barriers can be overcome if change can be modified in a way that compromises with some of the group norms.

This strategy helps in making members of a group accept change because adaptation is made simpler. The other strategy of overcoming social barriers of change is by involving all the stakeholders in the decision-making process as well as allowing them to give their feedback on the implemented changes. This strategy is very important to overcome social barriers to change as everyone will feel part of the change. The esteem and confidence of employees are boosted when they are fully involved in the change process. Cultural barriers are also common during the process of implementing organizational change. Employees become skeptical about new processes and policies especially if some past changes had failed to bring the desired results. It is always a difficult task for the management to try and convince the stakeholders that the new initiatives would work. To overcome this kind of barrier, tangible proofs must be presented by change managers to win the trust of other stakeholders within the organization. Resistance to change is very difficult to deal with and at times help from experts is needed to help employees understand the challenges of new initiatives (Leban 165).

Developmental barriers are another form of barriers that organizational change faces. The reluctance by employees to use new technologies due to inadequate training can be a major hindrance to change. Employees fear messing up with new systems hence most of them are always uncomfortable with sudden technological changes. It is always a great challenge for employees to apply their skills confidently especially when handling specialized applications. An example of such a case is when an employee is supposed to use new software before being properly trained. Technological changes can be overwhelming especially if they are suddenly introduced without adequate training of employees (Leban 166). The best way to overcome developmental barriers in change implementation is through training employees adequately before introducing new methods and systems. How change is introduced can be a psychological barrier to change. Lack of consultation before implementing psychological changes leads to mistrust within the organization and consequently strains employee relationships. Psychological barriers can be overcome by involving all the stakeholders in making decisions regarding the organizational change.

Works Cited

Leban, Bill. Managing Organizational Change. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2007. Print.

Introduction

The success of implementing the best quality management systems rests in our understanding of how to design and deliver quality management systems (QMS). Indeed, poorly designed quality processes are bound to generate errors and quality issues for organizations, while carefully designed implementation processes are bound to deliver desirable quality management outcomes (Rocha-Luna, Garza-Reyes, & Kumar, 2013). Based on this observation, there is an important need to understand the critical success factors of implementing quality management systems. These critical success factors highlight the business components that need to stay current for wholesome success in quality management to be achieved (Hall, 2016). This paper outlines and explains some of the most important business components that need to remain the same when implementing QMS through change management.

Proper Communication

Although different organizations choose to embrace different process flows to align with the need to adapt to external market pressures, the need for effective communication remains unchanged. However, some managers fail to realize this fact and instead choose to engage in developing elegant and complex organizational design processes without a proper understanding of the feelings, or views, of the people who would implement them (Hall, 2016). As such, they miss the point of engaging in successful change management processes. Consequently, their organizations fail to realize their true potential because of the lack of employee buy-in. Based on this analysis, it is important to engage employees in the implementation of the QMS through effective communication. In line with this assertion, Hall (2016) says,

“It is less about the structure you choose than about the integrity of the process you use to get there. Involve employees in shaping the future of the company, and you will unleash the energy and investment that will bring your design to life” (p. 12).

Strong Leadership

In the course of a business lifecycle, there comes a time when the cost of staying the same outweighs the cost of adopting organizational changes (Hall, 2016; Jones, Aguirre, & Calderone, 2004). When such times come, managers need not resist change as it could lead to the death of their organizations; instead, they need to spearhead it to absorb new processes and systems that would align an organization’s internal environment with its external environment. Many researchers who have highlighted the importance of leadership in driving organizational change have explored the importance of a strong and effective leader in the management of organizational activities (Anderson & Anderson, 2015).

The same is true in the implementation of quality management processes because studies have highlighted the need to have an adept and decisive leadership when implementing quality management systems (Jones et al., 2004). This need is essential because organizations need to have leaders who can make instant and effective decisions for the successful implementation of the QMS. Indeed, as Rocha-Luna et al. (2013) observe, the failure to do so could jeopardize the implementation of the QMS process.

Culture that Supports Continuous Improvement

The need to have a culture that supports continuous improvement is at the center of organizational change and effective QMS implementation. According to Hinkle (2006), culture embodies the beliefs, values, systems, and assumptions that drive employee activities in an organization. The world has seen numerous examples of business pioneers who have achieved tremendous success by simply having a culture of success. For example, Apple became one of the world’s most recognizable brands because of Steve Job’s embrace of a culture of innovation (Rocha-Luna et al., 2013). Jack Welsh also adopted a culture of quality improvement, which is largely responsible for the success of General Electric (GE) (Rocha-Luna et al., 2013). Although the importance of having a culture of success is essential in QMS implementation, it is important for managers to acknowledge that some employees could resist such cultural alignments if they do not understand their value.

Motivated and Committed Labor Force

According to Rocha-Luna et al. (2013), teamwork is an important factor to consider in the implementation of successful quality improvement initiatives. Indeed, unless organizations work as a cohesive team, it would be difficult for them to realize their goals of quality improvement. This observation means that all levels of employees are useful when implementing quality management initiatives (Viviano, 2015). Stated differently, top managers and bottom-level employees are equal in importance when implementing quality management systems.

Managers must set an example of the type of motivation they expect from their employees when implementing QMS initiatives because employees learn about the enthusiasm that they should accord such processes from their superiors. Research evidence has demonstrated that most organizations that have succeeded in this regard have developed employee appraisal programs, promotions, and recognition programs that are supposed to improve the mood of their employees when implementing QMS processes (Rocha-Luna et al., 2013). Generally, such programs create a “feel good” effect among all cadres of employees, which is essential in the implementation of QMS processes.

Process-Oriented Focus

A process-oriented focus is important in the realization of QMS goals because QMS implementation often depends on how well organizations implement their business processes. Relative to this assertion, Hall (2016) says poor process design strategies and the poor execution of process strategies are the main challenges of QMS implementation. Research has proved that most organizations, which have a strongly rooted process-oriented culture, are bound to perform well in terms of QMS implementation (Rocha-Luna et al., 2013). More importantly, leaders should evaluate their process management activities to eliminate non-value added activities and improve the efficiency of QMS implementation. Therefore, businesses should improve processes that are essential to the delivery of outputs to realize improved QMS outcomes. Comprehensively, the critical success factors identified in this report interact to create a successful QMS implementation plan. The diagram below shows the nature of their interaction.

Conclusion

This paper has explained the different critical success factors needed in the implementation of successful quality management systems. In order of appearance, we have identified proper communication, effective leadership, a culture that supports continuous improvement, a committed and motivated labor force, and a process-oriented focus as the main business components that should drive QMS implementation processes. In other words, these critical success factors highlight the business components that need to stay current for organizations to achieve wholesome success in quality management. Although they are equal in importance, different organizations may rank them differently, based on the nature of their businesses. Organizations that fail to realize their potential, or roles, in influencing positive changes in the implementation of quality management objectives are likely to fail to realize their quality management goals because of quality management errors that would often emerge from the poor execution of QMS strategies.

References

Anderson, L., & Anderson, D. (2015). Building Your Change Strategy: How to Ensure that Your Effort Is on the Right Track. Web.

Hall, M. (2016). 7 Components for Successfully Designing Your Organization. Web.

Hinkle, S. (2006). Take a Quality Ride: The Realities of Implementing a Quality Management System. New York, NY: iUniverse.

Jones, J., Aguirre, D., & Calderone, M. (2004). 10 Principles of Change Management. Web.

Rocha-Luna, L., Garza-Reyes, J.A., & Kumar, V. (2013). Building quality management systems: Selecting the right methods and tools. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.

Viviano, G. (2015). How to Create and Implement Your Quality Management System. Web.

Performance appraisal systems are perhaps the most important tool in ensuring organizational performance. Their benefits to organizations are numerous touching every facet of the organization. Although they are sometimes misused, performance appraisal remains among the most valuable management tools in determining if the organization is achieving its objectives in the short run.

It is estimated that in nearly 90% of organizations in the world, performance appraisals are done (Imran, 2008, p. 1). This essay explores the importance of performance appraisals to organizations and looks into the constituent elements of good performance appraisal systems.

As stated above, performance appraisals are very important in controlling organizational functions and ensuring that employees give their best to the organization. It gives a means of assessing employee performance with time. This is geared towards making employees improve on their work based on the evaluation results.

The management of the organization can also determine whether there is a need for training their employees depending on the results of the appraisal. It also helps the organization to establish whether the desired performance has been achieved. This helps the organization to minimize the difference between the desired and actual performance. Performance appraisal systems also help managers to exercise control over the functions of the organization.

This is done by ensuring that operations are carried out in conformance with the laid down policies of the organization. Human Resource managers in organizations can also use appraisal results to make critical decisions like promoting performing employees and transferring non-performing employees.

Similarly, managers are also appraised. For instance, organizational functions like recruitment and training can be reviewed to check the effectiveness of Human Resource Managers. Appraisals can also be used to gauge employee satisfaction in order to ensure co-operation (Albright, 2009, p. 1).

A good appraisal system must contain two basic elements. These are evaluation and feedback functions. The evaluation function is instrumental in determining the aforementioned gap between expected and actual performance. It is in this function that the organization develops proper checks and balances for ensuring that the organizational objectives are met. The main challenge in this function is the determination of actual performance.

This is a loophole used by many corrupt employees to jeopardize appraisal efforts since the determination of the actual performance may be variable depending on the methods that are used. For the appraisal system to achieve its intended objectives, the employees and managers need to know their standing with respect to the appraisal.

In order to ensure that no loopholes are left in the appraisal system and also ensure that employees and managers are informed about appraisal results, there is a need to incorporate a feedback function in the appraisal system (Imran, 2008, p. 1). This is aimed at ensuring that managers and employees perfect their services to the organizations and also that the appraisal team carries out its functions well.

Each of the stated functional parts of an appraisal system can be carried out using a variety of criteria. The evaluation function can be carried out using criteria known as the “critical incident file.” (Imran, 2008, p. 1)This is where a manager records the significant behavior portrayed by an employee in the course of employment. These could either be achievements or failures. The appraisal team then compares different employee files to determine the employees who have been performing and those who have not been performing.

The manager can also use scales based on dependability, quality, and quantity of work, attitude, initiative, and cooperation. This helps to develop balanced appraisal results and it is recommended for big organizations where comparison of performance levels of employees could be challenging. The evaluation can also be done using the BARS approach. These are rating scales used to describe the performance of employees.

The rating is done by managers and evaluated by the appraisal team to gauge the quality of the work done by a specific employee. Other methods used include ranking in which employees are compared and the narrative methods whereby the manager describes his employees in writing. The feedback function is multi-dimensional. The directors of the company or the owners of the organization should be given feedback concerning the performance of managers.

The managers should also be given feedback in order to ensure that they improve any weaknesses in their work. In addition to their feedback, the managers should be given feedback outlining the performance of employees. This enables them to make the aforementioned management decisions like transfers and promotions (Albright, 2009, p. 1). The employees also need to know how the appraisal team has rated their work in order for them to work towards improving their work.

As mentioned above, performance appraisals are very important in management. As individuals within the organization are reviewed, conformance with set objectives and targets is assured. The appraisals also motivate employees and lead to personal development. It also helps to build strong relationships between employees and managers and thus it ensures better co-operation between the two entities.

These strengths of performance appraisal enable the organization to plan for development since it will be able to know if the plans it lays down are met.

Reference List

Albright, R. (2009). What Is The Purpose Of The Performance Appraisal. Web.

Imran, A. (2008). Purpose of Performance Appraisal- how and Why it is Important and Effective for Any Organization. Web.

Issues at Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart is one of the most successful retail stores in the world, with over $ 469 billion in revenues. However, it faces several challenges that may affect its future in the market. According to the case study, the biggest challenge that this firm faces is the slow market growth, which makes it difficult to maintain the traditional growth rates that have enabled it to reach its current position. The issue of slow market growth has been attributed to mature markets that limit its ability to open new stores.

The second issue, as revealed in the case study, is that Wal-Mart’s same-store sales have experienced a consistent decline in the last few years, reducing the revenues of this firm. The third issue is that Sam’s club is performing poorly against its main market competitor, Costco.

The revenues from Costco are almost twice as much as that from Sam’s Club even though the two have nearly the same number of stores. Criticism in social media is another issue that this firm has had to deal with in the recent past. Wal-Mart is accused of pushing its production from the United States which has reduced employment opportunities in the country.

Analysis & Evaluation

Wal-Mart has experienced rapid growth over the years, and it is now difficult to achieve the same percentage growth rates that were witnessed over the past three decades. The market has matured, and this has left a limited window for this firm to expand. Currently, this firm finds itself in a delicate situation where any new store opened in the United States affects its stores, which are nearby.

The new stores cannibalize on the existing stores. The underperformance of Sam’s Club as compared to Costco, may be attributed to the leadership. Founded in the same year, Sam’s club has had 12 presidents while Costco has been led by just two presidents. The high turnover rates at the management make it difficult to maintain consistency in the strategies, the fact that has led to poor performance.

Alternatives

It is clear that Wal-Mart will need to reevaluate its strategies and develop mechanisms to manage some of the issues that have been identified in this case. The management will need to come up with several alternatives to solve this problem. The first alternative will be to redefine its growth rates. The firm’s growth rate was set at 11 percent at a time when it was relatively small compared to its current size, and growth prospects were high.

It has expanded tremendously, and the growth prospects are low because of market maturity. The growth rates should be lowered to reasonable rates to eliminate the current frustration of the management as they struggle to maintain the traditional growth. Another alternative that Wal-Mart can consider is to redefine the leadership structure and tenure at its Sam’s club stores. The current turnover rates of the management are worrying, and the management needs to address it.

To maintain its expansion, this firm has the alternative of expanding its online presence. Alternatively, it can use acquisitions and takeovers to maintain its growth, especially in highly saturated markets. This will not only help in its expansion program but also reduce competition in the current market. The management of Sam’s club should develop new strategies to attract new members to increase the firm’s profitability.

Recommendation

In order to address the problems that Wal-Mart is currently facing in the market, the management will need to redefine its growth strategies. It will need a different approach such as acquisitions other than building new stores, especially in regions where the market is saturated.

Identify the most important facts surrounding the case

A case study, The impact of change management on the attitudes of Turkish security managers towards change, seeks to address the application of managerial methods to influence employees’ attitudes towards the process of change in the context of Turkish homeland security management. The researchers gather and evaluate the current evidence on the way different managerial methods affect Turkish homeland security organizations employees’ views on change and provide their recommendations on the application of these methods.

Yilmaz and his team used an anonymous questionnaire developed from the theoretical research propositions to gather answers from top security managers. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined during a pilot test conducted before the main study. Four hypotheses were developed to test the relationship between the application of managerial methods and the security managers’ attitude towards change (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 128). Correlation and regression analyses of the questionnaire responses were performed to test the hypotheses. The findings of the correlation analysis are as follows:

• 90.2 percent of the participants claimed that change of the homeland security organization is necessary (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 129);
• the majority of respondents were not informed on the change initiative, and all of them were not involved in the reorganization process (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 130);
• the majority of respondents had an adverse attitude towards reorganization (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 130);

The findings of the regression analysis are as follows:

• there is a statistically meaningful positive effect of informing, consulting and inviting the participation of employees on their attitudes towards change (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 131);
• The authors conclude that the application of managerial methods during the reorganization largely determines employees’ attitudes towards change. The researchers recommend that “the employees should be informed, consulted and made part of the change process at the outset” for the change process to be efficient.

Identify the key issue or issues

The goal of this study is to use the evidence-based approach to assist “the reorganization process of homeland security organizations in Turkey”, and provide practical recommendations regarding the application of selected managerial methods to assist the process of change (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 118). As such, the key issue described in the study is the homeland security managers’ attitude towards the reorganization process of Turkish homeland security forces. Organizational change is always met with some reaction from the employees, which can either be positive and help facilitate change or negative and hinder the change process.

In the case of Turkish homeland security reorganization, the change initiative, although deemed necessary, did not attract the support of homeland security managers. The researchers hypothesized that it is because the required management strategies were not implemented during the change initiative, leading to the uncertainty among top security managers. The lack of support from the employees means that the change process is not happening in the most efficient way possible, and maybe met with skepticism and resistance on the employees’ part (Bovey and Hede 372).

The researchers argue that the proper implementation of “inform, consult and engage” management strategy could have affected the initiative in a positive way, and that the current situation is the result of improper management. The researchers found out that the security managers were not engaged in the change process, which explains their adverse attitudes (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 131).

Evaluate each course of action

Various studies show that proper management of the change process is vital to the initiative’s success (Bovey and Hede 372). This fact prompted the scholars’ to evaluate change more thoroughly and examine those factors that sabotage the process of change. One of these factors is employees’ resistance, and several strategies for facilitating change were developed aimed at minimizing the resistance. These strategies are built upon different assumptions about people and the style of leadership. The following change management strategies are outlined in the literature:

• Empirical-Rational;
• Normative-Reeducative (N-R);
• Power-Coercive (P-C);
• Environmental-Adaptive (E-A) (Nickols 1).

The Empirical-Rational strategy suggests engaging employees by communicating the value of change or providing incentives for people not to resist change (Nickols 1). This strategy highlights the necessity of employees’ involvement in the change process. This strategy is the most democratic way of facilitating change as it is based upon the value of communication and incentives, and is most likely to lead to success unless the change is radically for worse.

The Normative-Reeducative strategy is also based on communication between policymakers and employees and is based upon reimagining of social norms and developing a new organizational culture in line with the change (Nickols 2). Such a strategy requires time to be implemented properly. The Power-Coercive Strategy is based upon the exercise of authority through the punishment of those who resist change (Nickols 3).

It is damaging to the employee’s morale and is applicable in cases where a threat to the organization requires immediate action. The Environmental-Adaptive Strategy implies building a new organization and gradually transferring employees into its structure (Nickols 4). The success of this course of action is based upon people’s adaptive abilities and is suited for radical overhauls.

Recommend the best course of action

The reorganization of homeland security forces in Turkey is aimed at better addressing the problem of terrorism by improving operational efficiency (Sadik par. 1). The reorganization happened on multiple levels and led to the creation of new agencies and a new organization called “The Undersecretariat of Public Order and Security (UPOS)” (Yilmaz, Ozgen and Akyel 118).

Such drastic changes require homeland security personnel engagement to meet their goals. Therefore, the best course of action would be the combination of empirical-rational strategy and normative-reeducative strategy, with a high emphasis on consulting employees and informing them of every aspect of change. The employee’s involvement has shown to play an important part in the success of change (Schwahn and Spady 47; Ullah, Jaan and Ullah 1443). Therefore, it is necessary to develop the culture of change and get across the message about why the change is necessary to meet the required goals.

These two strategies also result in higher participation of the employees in the reorganization process which is a necessity in optimizing organizational performance. The study done by Yilmaz et al. showed that the failure of the reorganization process was not maintaining the participation of the employees which led to their adverse attitude towards change.

The reorganization process could have been more effortless if security managers were provided sufficient information about the change process. The Power-Coercive and Environmental-Adaptive strategies are not applicable in the case of Turkish homeland security reorganization due to the de-emphasis on the value of establishing a clear vision for the change process.

Works Cited

Bovey, Wayne and Andy Hede. “Resistance to organizational change: the role of cognitive and affective processes”. Leadership & Organization Development Journal 22.8 (2001): 372-382.

Nickols, Fred. Four Strategies for Managing Change.

Sadik, Giray. Turkey Reorganizes Security Structure to Combat Terrorism. 2008.

Schwahn, Charles and William Spady. “Why change doesn’t happen and how to make sure it does”. Educational Leadership 55.7 (1998): 45-47. Print.

Ullah, Zeeshan, Saleem Jaan and Ehsan Ullah. “Cognition, Resistance and Turnover Intentions of Employees”. World Applied Sciences Journal 20.11 (2012): 1443-1447.

Yilmaz, Sefer, Huseyin, Ozgen and Recai Akyel. “The impact of change management on the attitudes of Turkish security managers towards change“. Journal of Organizational Change Management 26.1 (2013): 117-138.

Program management is usually a process or mechanism to manage the performance of several projects under one unit. Unlike project management, program management takes a long time and involves a much bigger task. The paper would examine program typologies and analyze organizational challenges when managing different types of programs.

Program Typologies

There are various types of Programs, depending on the scope of work, time, and the number of people who would be instrumental in the program (Brown 2008). The Goal-oriented programs normally deliver changes in the organization. Most often, they just deal with one-off changes. It may be organizational, national or even international.

The River Flood Protection Program in the Netherlands is an example of a goal-oriented program. An organization may come up with a plan to change the structure of management (Levin & Green 2014). The international organizations in the health sector may start a program on how to Kick Polio out. All the objectives of those projects that are under the program are subject to the program’s objectives. All the projects must work towards achieving the program goal (Wagner & Barkley 2010).

The heartbeat programs are those that involve regular improvements of what is already in existence. It may be the infrastructural programs like buildings, roads, and telecommunication (Brown 2008). They may also be business processes like production, manufacturing, the human resource or even the marketing programs.

There is also a service centre program. The program management coordinates the management of knowledge between projects (Shao & Müller 2011). It does this by integrating financial, technical, administrative and legal services. There is also a portfolio program. In this program, the individual projects are not entirely under the influence of the program goal. They mutually adapt because of the free flow of information at the program level (Levin & Green, 2014). The management program has limited control over individual projects.

Before starting any program, the management must first access the problem it wants to solve. The selection criteria are important because they guide the management to weigh the impact of the programs (Thiry 2010). An organization should not start a program using the current traditional hierarchical structure. A program has to be a special entity that does not interfere with the normal functioning of the organization.

Organizational Challenges

The difficulty in cooperation between projects within the same program is very challenging. For instance, if the financing project does not provide enough funds for the production project in an infrastructure program, it might delay or bring to a halt the entire program (Shao & Müller 2011).

Organizational learning is important for the success of the program. If the organization does not harness the learning process, then it may not succeed in its objectives. Another challenge is if the program provides an unacceptable degree of control through bureaucracy (Thiry 2010). There could also be competition between individual projects. The projects must complement each other and not compete against each other (Wagner & Barkley 2010).

Organizations that can deal with the challenges in their programs management normally succeed. Individual Projects within a program have to support the program to save costs and time. The organization has to provide good leadership by allowing the programs to run independently.

References

Brown, J 2008, The handbook of program management, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Levin, G & Green, A 2014, Implementing program management, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida.

Shao, J & Müller, R 2011, ‘The development of constructs of program context and program success: a qualitative study’, International Journal of Project Management, vol. 29, no. 8, pp.947-959.

Thiry, M 2010, Program management, Gower, Virginia Tech., Burlington,

Wagner, P & Barkley, B 2010, Global program management, McGraw-Hill, New York.

Operations managers take different positions in organizations and have to deal with a number of tasks and responsibilities (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungtusanatham, 2013). One of their duties is to identify the importance of change and support employees in taking such an important step (Block, 2016; Voehl & Harrington, 2016). In this paper, the peculiarities of a movement from a batch process to a line process in a firm will be discussed to understand how this change can help to meet market needs in different departments, including marketing, finance, human resources, accounting, and information systems.

Process Change

A batch process is the production of products in batches or lots in regard to specific categories and tasks (Schroeder et al., 2013). On the one hand, this process helps to save money, divide people into groups, and reduce waste. On the other hand, this process may result in delays so that the downtime between batches de-motivates employees. Line processing is characterized by large quantities, fast speed, and efficient work, leading to significant production increases. The necessity to move from a batch process to a line process may cause concerns among the representatives of different departments.

Concerns of Different Departments

Marketing

The essence of marketing is to make sure that appropriate exchange relationships with different people and organizations may be supported by a company (Baker, 2014). Regarding such transformation, the representatives of this department may question the possibility of having the same volumes of production, meet customers’ needs, and offer the required quantity of products on a regular basis.

Finance

A financial department’s concern may touch upon the necessity of additional investments. A financial function is to promote efficient use of funds (Brigham, 2014). Therefore, the development of new funding programs should be offered to support this change and make sure that no quality damage occurs because of poor financing.

Human Resource

Human resource management aims at employing people and developing their skills and knowledge in the field (Armstrong & Taylor, 2014). One of the possible concerns of this department may be the number of employees required for a new type of working process and staff’s obligations to change repetitive activities within line tasks.

Accounting

In the field of accounting, where activities, decisions, and ideas have to be represented in the form of money, people should be challenged by the necessity to understand the price of new equipment and if new experts may demand a higher salary. Financial transactions should not be increased as soon as one process is replaced by another process.

Information Systems

Finally, the sphere of information systems may be interested in the possibility to introduce new facts and details in regard to the chosen organizational change. A batch process promotes flexibility in work, and information systems should not be challenged by such flexibility but use a chance to obtain new, different sources.

Conclusion

In general, the concerns of all departments in a firm that is going to replace a batch process with a line process are based on the necessity to understand if new steps and changes lead to certain benefits or just create a new challenge. All departments have to be ready to use different options and support this movement to meet organizational needs.

References

Armstrong, M., & Taylor, S. (2014). Armstrong’s handbook of human resource management practice. Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page Publishers.

Baker, M.J. (2014). Marketing strategy and management. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Block, P. (2016). The empowered manager: Positive political skills at work. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Brigham, E.F. (2014). Financial management theory and practice. New Delhi, India: Atlantic Publishers.

Schroeder, R.G., Goldstein, S.M., & Rungtusanatham, M.J. (2013). Operations management in the supply chain: Decisions and Cases (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Voehl, F., & Harrington, H.J. (2016). Change management: Manage the change, or it will manage you. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.