Walden University Course Project EDUC-6105-7 Organizations, Innovation, and Change "Analyzing Organizational Change"

1. Analyzing Organizational Change Course ProjectEDUC-6105-7 Organizations, Innovation, and ChangeEileen Taft

2. Introduction

3. www.concordre.net Specializes in the sale of Bank owned (REO) properties Other distressed sale properties such as short sales Two established offices Palm Coast, FL New Smyrna Beach, FL Inventory of assets (homes or vacant lots) located in several Florida counties: Flagler, Volusia, St. Johns, Seminole & Orange

4. Concord’s Organizational Structure Hierarchical structure is flat by virtue of its small number of employees and their functional divisions Three equal partners (owners) Half a dozen employees Approximately eight independent contractors REO agents Buyers’ agents Several departments that are made up of one or two employees each Accounting Marketing Property Management Closings Representative of a pre-bureaucratic structure Founder, one of its three owners, is the company’s strategic leader Makes all of the key decisions Controls the company’s growth and development Founder holds all the power in the company Founder’s authority is based on traditional domination Russian immigrant Comes from a patriarchal culture Founder’s wife, one of the three owners, is a silent partner by virtue of her relationship to him as his wife Also stems from their cultural background Further emphasizes his traditional authority

5. Leadership Style Kotter (1988)…views leadership as a change-oriented process of visioning, networking and building relationships. (Bolman, L. G. & Deal, T. E., 2008 p. 343).

6. The Change Effort FRANCHISING Precipitated by the over-riding vision to maximize the owners’ profits

7. Research and Analysis Phase Significant amount of time and money invested into attending conferences related to buying a franchise Made mention of the possibility of this impending change for the organization to its members Never solicited any feedback from the company’s members regarding the change effort

8. Announcement of Change Effort Decision to franchise was announced by the owners at a staff meeting Reactions Favorable ~ Employees changes in structure that will result appear to more clearly delineate their job tasks added benefit of increased pay Unfavorable ~ Independent Contractors believe the changes will require more work from them anticipation of resistance ~ ultimatum sign an agreement to accept the changes dissolve relationship with the organization

9. Effects of the Change Effort Every job description will be revamped New positions will be created New departments will be created Some departments will be merged

10. Implementation Plan Leaders must work with others to maintain momentum during plan implementation and to monitor progress in order to discover and correct weaknesses in the plan. (Beach, 2006, p. 93).

11. Evaluation of Effectiveness Owners should have included company members before the decision was made. Owners should have explained to members how the environment will be better under this new structure. Owners should have communicated to each member how they would personally benefit from the change.

12. Strategies for Institutionalizingthe Change Leaders must work with others to institutionalize achieved changes and to help members accept ongoing change as a normal aspect of the organization and its activities. (Beach, 2006, p. 113).

13. Reflections on Concord’s Response toInnovation and Change Fragmented Culture Weak Leadership Learning-Impaired Organization Most ailing organizations have developed a functional blindness to their own defects. They are not suffering because they can’t solve their problems, but because they won’t see their problems. They can look straight at their faults and rationalize them as virtues or necessities. ~ John Gardner, founder of the political activist organization Common Cause (Harper & Glew, 2008, p. 28).

14. Forces Restraining Learning Leadership does not set the example for learning Poor top-down communication Not soliciting ideas Lack of upward communication Preoccupation with the short term and bottom line Lack of holistic approach to change Lack of communication about change Fear and anxiety about change Inadequate training Unwillingness to use the appropriate technology Lack of multidirectional communication Lack of performance measurement and accountability for poor performance (Harper & Glew, 2008. p. 29)

15. Recommendations for Success Transformational Leadership Empowerment of members Giving members a voice No ultimatums Improved Communication Goal-directed Performance Review Building a Winning Culture

16. References Beach, L. (2006). Leadership and the art of change: A practical guide to organizational transformation. Thousand Oaks, London, New Delhi: Sage Publications. Bolman, L.G., & Deal, T. E. (2008). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership(4th ed.). John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Harper, C., & Glew, D. (Mar/Apr 2008). Is your organization learning-impaired? Industrial Management, 50(2), 26-30. Retrieved December 16, 2009, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1562679291).