Reference no: EM13233385 , Length: 8000 Words

Module 2 Assignment: Organizational Readiness for Change

Introduction

A manager needs to prepare for change from various angles. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your understanding about change preparedness by creating a report about the role of a manager/leader within the change process and how you would determine the employees' readiness for change.

Instructions

Create a five- to six-page, double-spaced report in response to the following:

1. Discuss the importance of preparing the organization for change. Use references and actual anecdotes where possible. 

2. Describe managerial/leadership roles, skills, and strategies facilitating positive change outcomes in relation to assisting the organization to prepare for change. 

3. Describe five areas you would assess to prepare the organization for change.

4. Describe the methods of assessment you would use to assess each of the five areas you have identified in the previous question.

5. Describe how you would use the information you collected from your assessment methods to determine if your organization is ready for change. Use examples to illustrate how you would use content analysis and/or force field analysis. 

6. Describe two strategies that would facilitate organization readiness for change. 

Completion Guidelines

Please consider the following questions while completing your assignment:

• Is my report written clearly and does it use proper grammar?
• Did I answer all the questions and support my statements with examples?
• Did I integrate my thoughts, reflections, and learning in a holistic way?

Open Learning Faculty Member Grading Matrix

The following are tips and guidelines for you to follow as you complete Assignment 2.

Questions Tips and Guidelines Feedback

Is word count appropriate?

Are proper grammar and spelling used?

Does assignment include introduction, summary and citations?  

Question 1. Discuss the importance of preparing the organization for change. Use references and actual anecdotes where possible.  Give examples. An example could be preparing for change such as expecting something of someone or an organization but the change did not happen because the person or the organization did not have the skill or capacity to follow through with the change.  

Question 2. Describe the managerial or leadership roles, skills, and strategies facilitating positive change outcomes. In relation to assisting the organization to prepare for change.

Discuss a general role for the manager based on the readings. Identify a manager's general skills such as communication skills, listening skills, observation skills, motivational skills. Refer to the readings such as Senge et al. Another example is Cummings and Worley who also discuss specific change strategies.  

Question 3. Describe five areas you would assess to prepare the organization for change.

Identify five areas to assess from what is included in the course readings and content or from your workplace experiences with change. Include a rationale for each of the five areas with examples.  

Question 4. Describe the methods of assessment you would use to assess each of the five areas you have identified in the above question.

This answer deals with information in the course as well as in the readings about how to gather data. Comment on the importance of this assessment and identify the amount of time it would take to complete the assessment.  

Question 5. Describe how you would use the information you collected from your assessment methods to determine if your organization is ready for change. Use examples to illustrate how you would use content analysis and/or force field analysis.

Indicate how content analysis, or force-field analysis, or a combination of the two, would indicate if the organization is ready or not for change. With examples, illustrate the use of the methods to determine the status of the organization in terms of readiness for change. Examples should be provided.  

Question 6. Describe two strategies that would facilitate organizational readiness for change.

From the list of strategies suggested in the readings, select two strategies that would be most appropriate for their organization in terms of readiness for change. Cite references to the readings with a rationale for each of your chosen strategies.  

Total marks possible. 

Module 3 Assignment: Change Transition

Introduction

In this module, you have explored the transitional phase of change. As a manager/leader you have many responsibilities to help the organization move through this phase. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your knowledge about a manager's role and how you would assess the organization's capability to move through the transition phase of change.

Instructions

Address the following in a 1,500 to 2,000 word report:

1. Discuss the role of the manager/leader in preparing and assessing the organization for movement through the transition phase of change. Use references and actual anecdotes where possible.

2. Identify and discuss five reasons for resistance that are typically evident during this transition phase of change. Include examples and references to the readings. 

3. Describe the different areas you would assess to determine resistance. Discuss the feedback mechanisms that a manager would use to specifically identify the resistance levels of the employees. 

4. Describe five strategies that a manager could use to ensure that these resistance levels are minimized. 

5. Describe three success factors that would indicate that the strategies are effective in reducing the resistance levels of the employees. 

Completion Guidelines

Please consider the following questions while completing your assignment:

• Is my report written clearly and does it use proper grammar?
• Did I answer all the points and support my statements with examples and references to the readings?

Open Learning Faculty Member Grading Matrix

The following are tips and guidelines for you to follow as you complete Assignment 3.

Questions Tips and Guidelines Feedback

Is word count appropriate?

Are proper grammar and spelling used?

Does assignment include introduction, summary and citations?  

Question 1. Discuss the role of the manager/leader in preparing and assessing the organization for movement through the transition phase of change. Use references and actual anecdotes where possible.

Discuss the transition phase as being when there are many emotions and where people are just becoming aware that there is an actual change situation that they will have to adjust to. Indicate what the role of the manager is in assisting these employees.  

Question 2. Identify and discuss five reasons for resistance that are typically evident during this transition phase of change. Include examples and references to the readings.

Discuss the meaning of resistance and its impact of the different reasons for resistance. Ensure that you provide examples and references to the readings on this topic.  

Question 3. Describe the different areas you would assess to determine resistance. Discuss the feedback mechanisms that a manager would use to specifically identify the resistance levels of the employees.

Explain how the resistance is being reviewed, i.e. what areas are being assessed and what feedback mechanisms are being explored to determine the full extent of this resistance that is impeding the progress of the change implementation plan. Include references to the readings and examples.  

Question 4. Describe five strategies that a manager could use to ensure that these resistance levels are minimized.

Identify and describe strategies, and cite examples and references to the readings  

Question 5. Describe three success factors that would indicate that the strategies are effective in reducing the resistance levels of the employees.

Describe the strategies that were effective and enabled the change implementation plan to move to the next phase of change. Provide examples of employee behaviours that would illustrate that the resistance level is minimized.  

Total marks possible. 

Module 4 Assignment: Commitment to Change and Sustaining Momentum for the Change

Introduction

In this module, you looked at the implementation phase of change. As a manager/leader, you need to consider the situation within your organization and determine the organizational commitment to change and its ability to sustain the momentum for change.

Instructions

Address the following in a 1,500 to 2,000 word report:

1. What are the challenges in gaining commitment during a change implementation process? 

2. Describe the feedback mechanisms you would use to determine employee commitment. In this description, outline how you would obtain input from the employees and how you would verify the commitment from the employees.

3. Explain five indicators that would illustrate that the employees are committed and enthusiastic about the change. 

4. Once commitment is evident, explain how you, as the change agent, would sustain the momentum of the change. In this explanation, outline at least five different ways of sustaining this momentum. 

5. If you, as a change agent, are unable to sustain momentum, describe at least five different interventions to sustain momentum. 

Completion Guidelines

Please consider the following questions while completing your assignment:

• Is my report written clearly and does it use proper grammar?
• Did I answer all the points and support my statements with examples and references to the readings?

Open Learning Faculty Member Grading Matrix

The following are tips and guidelines for you to follow as you complete Assignment 4.

Questions Tips and Guidelines Feedback

Is word count appropriate?

Are proper grammar and spelling used?

Does assignment include introduction, summary, and citations?  

Question 1. What are the challenges in gaining commitment during a change implementation process?

Describe your understanding of how to gain commitment that would include the challenges of gaining commitment; provide examples and cite references to the readings.  

Question 2. Describe the feedback mechanisms you would use to determine employee commitment. In this description, outline how you would obtain input from the employees and how you would verify the commitment from the employees.  Be sure to describe how you would seek input from the employees and how this information would be verified to determine the commitment from the employees.  

Question 3. Explain five indicators that would illustrate that the employees are committed and enthusiastic about the change.  Identify and explain how the indicators would show that there is employee commitment for the change implementation plan.  

Question 4. Once commitment is evident, explain how you, as the change agent, would sustain the momentum of the change. In this explanation, outline at least five different ways of sustaining this momentum.

Explain your understanding of sustaining momentum for the change by explaining the different ways the change agent can sustain the momentum through small successes.  

Question 5. If you, as a change agent, are unable to sustain momentum, describe at least five different interventions to sustain momentum.. Indicate how the change agent can overcome this situation by applying further interventions to gain the momentum for the change implementation plan. Include references to the readings and examples.  

Module 5 Assignment

Introduction

In this module you looked at the final stage of change-institutionalization of change-where you assess and verify that the change has permeated throughout the organization. In this assignment, you are required to report on your learning on the institutionalization of change and its future impact within the organization.

Instructions

Address the following in a 1,500 to 2,000 word report:

1. Discuss your understanding of institutionalization of change. In your discussion, indicate how organizational characteristics affect institutionalization. 

2. Describe your assessment method to determine if institutionalization is evident. What outcomes and indicators would illustrate that institutionalization is evident? 

3. Select and describe three institutionalization processes that would illustrate that institutionalization is not evident as a result of the change implementation process. 

4. Discuss how a manager could create the capacity for continuous change, learning, and improvement. In your discussion, include examples and references to the readings.

5. Describe future trends that may impact upon the role of the manager in relation to institutionalization of change. Include examples that would be relevant to your particular workplace environment. 

Completion Guidelines

Please consider the following questions while completing your assignment:

• Is my report written clearly, and does it use proper grammar?
• Did I answer all the points and support my statements with examples and references to the readings?
• Did I integrate my thoughts, reflections, and learning in a holistic way?

Open Learning Faculty Member Grading Matrix

The following are tips and guidelines for you to follow as you complete Assignment 5.

Questions Tips and Guidelines Feedback

Is word count appropriate?

Are proper grammar and spelling used? Does assignment include introduction, summary, and citations?  

Question 1. Discuss your understanding of institutionalization of change. In your discussion, indicate how organizational characteristics affect institutionalization.

Define institutionalization and describe the outcome as having employees able to perform the new behaviours; also discuss the organizational characteristics making references to the readings on this topic.  

Question 2. Describe your assessment method to determine if institutionalization is evident. What outcomes and indicators would illustrate that institutionalization is evident?

Describe how you would evaluate the institutionalization of the change making references to the readings on this topic. Describe some of the outcomes and indicators that would suggest that institutionalization has been successful.  

Question 3. Select and describe three institutionalization processes that would illustrate that institutionalization is not evident as a result of the change implementation process.

Identify the organizational processes that clearly indicate that institutionalization is not evident. Explain your rationale.  

Question 4. Discuss how a manager could create the capacity for continuous change, learning, and improvement. In your discussion, include examples and references to the readings.

Demonstrate your understanding of creating an organizational culture that is engaged in learning and is able to continuously change as the need arises within the organization. Cite references to the readings on this topic.  

Question 5. Describe future trends that may impact upon the role of the manager in relation to institutionalization of change. Include examples that would be relevant to your particular workplace environment.

Integrate the course materials with the information from the readings on this topic. Provide examples.