Change Management Plan Paper

Running head: CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN

Change Management Plan Paper

University of Phoenix

Change Management Plan Paper

This paper will discuss CrysTel a telecommunication company that has come to the realization that they need to develop a corporate culture that can support constant change. The first topic reviewed will be the Implications of Organizational Change and associated impact on employee behavior. The next topic the paper will discuss is the proposed change model and the potential impact that human variables and resistance to change will have on the process. The paper will review CrysTel will address employee reaction to the change specifically resistance to the change. The third topic, Measures to Monitor Progress will discuss the proposed leadership style and strategies that CrysTel will implement. The last two topics, Continuing Success of a Change Process and Evaluate the Dynamics of Organizational Change, will discuss respectively the management strategies need to implement an ongoing change process and additional challenges facing CrysTel over the next decade. The following section will review the current state of the company based data provided in the University of Phoenix. (2006). Building a Culture for Sustaining Change simulation.

Implications of Organizational Change

"CrysTel is a telecommunications company operating in Illinois, US. With an employee strength of 2,500 and an annual revenue of $200 million, CrysTel product profile includes data cable, wireless solution, and network development" UOP simulation (2006). The company is lead by CEO Morgan Trevannon with more then 25 years of telecommunication industry experience. Vice President of Technology Development Frederick Bruder who previous to joining the company was a software architect providing consultant services to the telecommunication industry. Vice President of Sales and Delivery T.J Smith is an expert in telecommunication sale and delivery. The Vice President of Marketing Makena Wamala who during her tenure has over seen the launch of several of CrysTel more successful and innovative products. Vice President of Human Resources Department Mary Jo Moran is a 13 year CrysTel employee who manages a very proactive HR organization. Like all telecommunications companies CrysTel is experiencing change due to the evolving technologies, government intervention, consumer demands and a cross generational workforce.

As stated by Schein (1996) "In most organizations, there are three different major occupational cultures that do no really understand each other very well and that work at cross-purposes." At CrysTel the "engineering culture" Schein (1996) is represented by the Technology Development Department, the "executive culture" Schein (1996) is made up of the CEO, VP's and Human Resource Department and the "operator culture" Schein (1996) is represented by the Sales and Delivery, Marketing and Technology Operations Departments. Note that Technology Operations Department values and vision more closely align with the Technology Development Department. "These three cultures are often not aligned with each other, and it is this lack of alignment that causes the failures of organizational learning" Schein (1996). "Developing a learning culture and promoting innovation can help an organization sustain change" UOP Simulation (2006). Based on the Employee and Climate Surveys CrysTel's departments are not aligned and it is this lack of alignment that will be taken into account when developing the change culture.

Areas of concern that need to be addressed before CrysTel can successfully implement a new corporate vision are primarily with the Sales and Delivery Department and Marketing Department. The new change process must take into account the weakness found within these groups, the company needs to concentrate on employee involvement in problem-solving, improving and encourage creative thinking, creating urgency to attain goals and improved communications not only between the teams but between the employee and management. CrysTel also will need to take into account the strengths of it technical departments as it develops its change model.

Human Variables of Change Implementation

Based on the results of the Employee Survey, Climate Survey combined with the input of the CrysTel executive team the decision is to implement a Plan Do-Check-Act (PDCA) change model. "Though there are no specific rules associated with the model, it does focus on a never ending cycle of transformation just as organizations or groups have cycles of growth, stagnation and productivity. This cycle of transformation is an iterative process that requires planning, testing, checking and acting on a continuous basis that propel an organization or group" Rothwell& Sullivan & McLean, (1995). It is specifically the fact that of the PDCA model of no set rules and the never-ending change cycle that make this model best candidate for creating the new change culture for CrysTel. By the process being fluid CrysTel will be able to tailor the model to address the needs of each department. The company will spend the first part of the process developing the processes to identify and address variables and the inevitable resistance to change.

To successfully manage resistance to change CrysTel will first need to identify resistance which as cited in Atkinson, P. (2005) "The nature of resistance is that, generally speaking, we do not experience it actively and publicly. Its presence is often displayed covertly, even passively." Once CrysTel is able to identify the different forms of resistance it will need to identify how it is going to get employees to accept the new vision. "When managers learn to activate willpower, or volition, in themselves and others, companies reap the benefits of purposeful action taking and see more projects completed; however, engaging volition is not easy." Ghoshal & Bruch (2003). There are five strategies that CrysTel will be implementing "(a) help people visualize their intention, (b) encourage people to confront their ambivalence, (c) prepare people for obstacles, (d) help people to see and exploit choices, and (e) build in stopping rules". Ghoshal & Bruch (2003). The current culture at CrysTel is driven by the Technology Development and Technology Operations Departments which encourage employee innovation, team empowerment, risk taking and have well defined conflict resolution