Free Essay Example: Managing Barriers to Change

The radical changes in the dynamic nature of business activities call for evolution into modern techniques of commerce. Companies that were flourishing in the last decade could easily be extinct from the market due to these changes (Al-Ghamdi et al., 2020). Therefore, to remain relevant, organizations have to undergo random transitions to stay relevant and survive in this era. However, change is a process, and it is systematic. With this, before any change is initiated, it must undergo certain stages.

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Change is anticipated to bring positive results. However, if the changing process is not well handled, it can be hazardous to the business. More so, since change often requires intense commitment, people tend to avoid evolution (Al-Ghamdi et al., 2020). However, the transition is necessary for the survival of the business in the new economic environment. For instance, only a decade ago, there was no online marketing and cashless money. A few years later, a well-developed online market structure and online companies became dominant, forcing existing businesses to adopt these technologies to maintain their functionality in the market (Al-Ghamdi et al., 2020).

For the case of Delta Pacific Company, it was an organization that enjoyed a monopoly in the production and selling of computer hardware. However, due to the evolution in the market and competition from overseas, its sales dropped dangerously with only a few loyal customers buying goods from the company. More so, the products being produced by the competitors were high-tech, and this significantly affected the market for DPC. However, as a change leader in the organization, researching various setbacks associated with change would be fundamental in providing proposals for the correction of these challenges.

Transitioning from one organizational culture to the other is likely to face resistance. Furthermore, employee resistance is the most significant barrier to change (Whyte et al., 2016). Employees play a very crucial role in the operations of an organization. Therefore, whether or not a change program will be implemented successfully is entirely dependent on the employees’ attitude toward the change. Failure to involve the task force in the change process is another challenge against implementing a new organizational structure (Whyte et al., 2016). In many cases, employees are more receptive to policies they participated in informing.

As a change leader, I believe that a lack of proper communication can also foster resistance. People are unsupportive to uncertain policies. Without appropriate information regarding the change, most employees will resist since they are not sure whether or not the new culture will work (Whyte et al., 2016). Therefore, it calls for prior planning and proper communication to get all the employees on board to support the change. However, the staff can also resist if the new difference is unrealistic. Since they are directly affected by the changes, many employees will not risk their jobs by supporting harmful policies.

Kurt Lewin’s change model can be used as a guide to managing the barriers and resistance. Lewin’s model comprises of three phases (Hussain et al., 2018). The first stage is unfreezing, which entails creating a perception that change is needed. In this phase, proper communication about the required change is vital. More so, settling doubts and offering professional advice to employees as to why the difference is essential for the survival of the business. The collection of views from employees enables the management to detect resistance or its causes. Thorough planning is also vital in this stage.

The participation of the management in change is essential in Lewin's model of change. The administration should be on the frontline by intensely supporting the change policies (Hussain et al., 2018). Employees emulate the leadership in terms of adopting change. When the management is uncooperative with the difference, the employees' confidence is lost in the process, and this triggers resistance. The final stage is refreezing. Lewin claims that the adopted change is incorporated into the organization's culture. In this stage, employees are offered the necessary help to boost their competence (Hussain et al., 2018). More so, the management also reevaluates its goals and objectives to ascertain whether the change will be a long-term success.

Strategic recommendations for avoiding resistance to change are by the involvement of all stakeholders in change. Involving all levels of staff in the change process enhances the quick adoption of change policies since all the staff is familiar with the shift (Rafferty & Jimmieson, 2017). In this case, employees are enlightened on the importance of this transition. More so, it is essential to include other stakeholders in the planning process since their support would still be necessary after the transition(Rafferty & Jimmieson, 2017). Therefore, when the management is at the forefront of implementing the change policies, it encourages teamwork and total commitment toward the new organizational culture.

Conclusion

Conclusively, improving communication between the management and the staff accelerates the process of change. The administration should always communicate its strategic plan and the sustainability approach to its stakeholders. However, since management is the backbone of change, sound decision-making depicts the direction an institution will take (Rafferty & Jimmieson, 2017). Therefore, sound decision-making originates from a good management system. These recommendations are critical problem-solving proposals to barriers of change.

References

Al-Ghamdi, S. M., Kazmi, A., Sohail, M. S., & Aldhafeeri, A. (2020). Barriers to change implementation process by public and private organizations in Saudi Arabia. Journal for Global Business Advancement, 13(1), 88-107. 10.1504/JGBA.2020.109141

Hussain, S. T., Lei, S., Akram, T., Haider, M. J., Hussain, S. H., & Ali, M. (2018). Kurt Lewin's change model: A critical review of the role of leadership and employee involvement in organizational change. Journal of Innovation & Knowledge, 3(3), 123-127. 10.1016/j.jik.2016.07.002

Rafferty, A. E., & Jimmieson, N. L. (2017). Subjective perceptions of organizational change and employee resistance to change: direct and mediated relationships with employee wellbeing. British Journal of Management, 28(2), 248-264. 10.1111/1467-8551.12200

Whyte, J., Stasis, A., & Lindkvist, C. (2016). Managing change in the delivery of complex projects: Configuration management, asset information and ‘big data’. International Journal of Project Management, 34(2), 339-351. 10.1016/j.ijproman.2015.02.006