Managing change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Managing change - Essay Example The different steps associated with change management programs have been put forth by various researchers. Out of them the most prominent model is the eight step managing process of change as proposed by Kotter (1996) (Todnem, 2005, p.370). The process begins with the creation of a sense of urgency in the organization, i.e., major changes necessitate a sense of motivation among relevant people who can sense a potential crisis in the organization. This can arise due to lost markets, reduced profits, and entry of competitors, lost customers or even unacceptable products and services. Such aspects lay down the foundation for change requirements in the organization. This is followed by putting together of a guiding team or a group of enthusiasts who would recognize the indispensability and value of the change. The third step requires creating a vision and a strategy which requires motivating people, giving them a direction and aligning their efforts and processes. Vision gives employees the depiction that each one involved carries and evokes on a regular basis to ensure that the course does not get deviated. The next step is to communicate the vision to all subjects concerned. It is crucial to spread the change message across the organization through repetitive activities through as many channels as possible. Empowering people is the next step in which barriers and obstacles to the change are removed in order to remove hindrances which discourage people to take up the change. Following this step is to create momentum for the change by consolidating the accomplishments and allowing and enabling further changes. The final step is to implant the new approach into the culture of the organization (Tcherpokov, 2006, p.1-2). The change process was initiated in British Airways on account of consistent financial losses over a period of time, shrinking of the cabin crew, diminishing profits, diminishing share of the market, technological changes and cultural changes. The aim of the change process was to enhance organizational efficiency, reduce costs through restructuring of the organizational structure and strategy. The company’s mission and idea for the change process was communicated across all levels of the organization on a repetitive basis so as to ensure its acceptance and absorption into the system. Moreover, as per the steps put forth by Kotter (1996), British Airways implemented the change process by empowering individuals in the organization to actively participate in the change. This was achieved through training of staffs in the desired direction such as to make them efficient not only to participate in the change but also develop the changed culture throughout the organizational hierarchy. The idea was to bring about the productivity and performance improvement through the people. Only after the idea for the change was inculcated into the organizational culture, it could be implemented successfully. When the changed processes, norm s, activities were completely ingrained into the culture of the organization the results were seen to be long lasting and a new culture was successfully developed in British Airways (Tcherpokov, 2006, p.2). Reference Tcherpokov, M. (2006). The Eight-stage Managing