Organizational Change refers to the process with the help of which an organization changes the structure, operational models and technologies that can help it in making profits. The process of organisational change can be continuous or it can take place over distinct period of the time. This essay reflects on principles of ethics and corporate social responsibility in relation to organisational change. This essay also reflects on the different kinds of change agent that exists in an organisation and the characteristics that should be shown by an effective change agent. The essay also discusses regarding the different aspects of the course that had a major influence on me.
Study pertaining to organizational change can be termed interdisciplinary in terms of nature and it draws from different fields like psychology, sociology, economics along with management. The need for change can occur for improving resource allocation and reengineer the business process that can help in restructuring the organization. Ethics refers to moral principles that has an effect on the aspect of decision-making in an organisation (Caldwell, 2003).There are different kinds of ethical issues that can rise during the process of change in an organisation. I have learnt in the course that managing change involves a lot of ethical issues and these ethical issues arise owing to the fact that the managers are unable to recognize goals that are not compatible with members of the organization. Openness pertaining to change process and participation of the employees within change process can be useful in avoiding the ethical issues that can rise during change implementation. The Kurt Lewin approach to change states that the people involved in the change should make the decisions without making any kind of coercion. The individuals should be facilitated by a neutral facilitator that can help them in understanding regarding the formation of their behaviour (Waddell et al., 2016). I learnt that individuals should be able to learn regarding their behaviour and they would be able to modify it with the help of implementation of action research. I have learnt that Lewin model is a change management model that is based on ethics. The Lewin model helps in studying of internal requirement along with external pressures in relation to change that can help in identification of need of the change (Kahn, 2012). The Lewin model identifies the stakeholders in relation to defined change. The knowledge that I have gained while doing the course is that employer should evaluate changes pertaining to ethics for understanding if the change is justifiable. I have learnt that change should not be just only for the employer but it should also be right from the point of view of the employees working in the organization. The change should then be evaluated by the employer which should then be presented to the stakeholders. I have gathered knowledge regarding the fact that stakeholders should be able to define change from the moral perspective. They should be capable of identifying to what extent change will prove to be ethical for stakeholders of a company (Beer & Spector, 1993). I have learnt that participative approach in defining the ethical change can help in decreasing fear in relation to change. It can thus help in decreasing the resistance that the organisational change can bring about in a company. I have learnt that it is important for the management to make clear in front of employer along with shareholder that they would be equally sharing benefit or loss in relation to change. I have learnt in the course that it important that change should be a shared objective for everyone. I have understood with the help of learning delivered in class that change should be implemented by keeping the stakeholders in the loop. The people should be involved in the process of change implementation and they should be trained adequately. I have learnt that the implemented change should be re-evaluated from the point of view of ethics with the help of feedback from the stakeholders (Bommer, Rich & Rubin, 2005). Satisfaction rate in relation to ethical change will be able to reveal success percentage in relation to the implemented change. I have learnt that the principles in relation to ECM model is that the ‘human side’ should be addressed in a systematic manner. I have learnt that another principle that one should have in mind during the process of change management is that it should start from CEO and leadership team. I have understood that leaders should be able to embrace change first that can help in motivation of rest of institution.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to business approach that helps in the aspect of sustainable development by delivering benefits to all the stakeholders (Beer & Spector, 1993).Concept pertaining to CSR has evolved dramatically in the recent years. I have learnt that it is of extreme importance for the successful operations of a business and it can create opportunities beyond that of narrow economic returns. I have learnt in the course that business have embedded the concept of CSR in their operations so that it can influence decision across the company. I have learnt that a company that is socially responsible does not see the problems in terms of short term return but they focus on the aspect of consistency of the policies along with actions (Herold, Fedor & Caldwell, 2007) I have learnt in the course that Carroll’s four-part pyramid model can help in embracing the expectations of the society pertaining to business responsibilities. The Carroll’s Pyramid model suggests that a business should meet ethical duties before considering the philanthropic option. I have learnt at the time of doing the course that fundamental to CSR is the concept of economic responsibility and the other business responsibilities are predicated upon the aspect of economic responsibility in relation to a firm. I have understood that business should be able to operate in the ambit of law and hence legal responsibility comprises of next layer in pyramid (Oreg & Berson, 2011). The business have ethical responsibility that states certain activities that are prohibited by members of society. Philanthropic responsibility can be said to be discretionary in terms of nature that states the obligations that the socially responsible business should be capable of fulfilling (Georgalis et al., 2015) I have learnt in the course that in the event of bringing about changes in an organisation they would not select the means that are unethical. The organisations that abide by CSR policy have a better organizational climate in which the dealing between the managers and the customers are based on ethics. I have learnt that the organisation that has implemented CSR can can successfully respond to social along with regulatory changes (Neuman, Edwards & Raju, 1989).
I have learnt in the course that change agent can prove to be instrumental in managing and implementing change within an organization. In the event of the corporations facing challenges pertaining to innovation the change leaders can be useful at the entry stage that can help in the creation of a flexible organization that has strategic mission. A strong corporate leader can transform the moribund organizations by taking recourse to shared sense of the values (Christensen & Overdorf, 2000) The transformation leader can act as a change agent who can inspire the employees for embracing innovation along with change. I think that a transformational leader empowering the employees for acting can bring about successful changes in an organisation. The change agent should be able to create openness pertaining to communication that can help in bringing about change within an organisation (Bourne, 2016). According to me, the transformational leader should promote continuous learning in the organization that can effectively help in bringing about change within the ambit of an organization.
Van Tonder has said that good corporate governance can be applied to organisational change with the help of corporate discipline and transparency (Olins, 2017). I have understood from the course that at the contracting stage the magic qualities in relation to the transformational leader can help in successfully bringing about changes in the organization. I have understood that openness to that of life-long learning and dealing with complexity can help the transformational leader in bringing about changes at that of the entry stage (Amis, Slack & Hinings, 2004). In the diagnosis stage of change, the middle managers can play an important role in implementation of change. I have learnt during the course that managers have legitimate power with the help of which they can direct work-related activities of the subordinates. This model can prove to be useful at the diagnosis stage as it is rational and functional. The customer demand in the present age and the power of the information technology has paved the path for the emergence of flexible organization (Nadler & Tushman, 1989). The middle managers are the agency in relation to change and accepting the fact about their decline in the supervisory role can help them in adjusting to the changes taking place in the modern environment (Hornstein, 2015). The Burnes model can be applied by the mangers in an organisation by empowering the employees and providing them with a flexible work culture. The managers should be able to overcome the organizational boundaries that can successfully help them in managing change. The application of the principles of CSR can have a positive impact on the stakeholders. It can pave the path for peaceful activities within the community. I think that it can increase the aspect of competitiveness and increase interest of the investors (Stead & Stead, 2017).
I have learnt that four model of the change agency can prove to be useful in managing change in an organisation. Kurt Lewin has brought out the idea that planned change is a long term process that can help in improving organizational health. The changes in an organization can be brought about with the help of process consultant. I have understood that organizational action should be understood from the point of view of environment or context in relation to a firm. The part of the course that I found most useful is in relation to the 3-stage change model of that of Lewin (Hayes, 2018). I have learnt that this model involves the three steps: unfreezing, changing along with refreezing. This model can help an individual in understanding the process of change (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2015). The changing stage is when the change is implemented in an organisation. I have learnt that during this stage people begin learning about new behaviours and processes that can in effectively dealing with change management. I have learnt that refreezing stage can stabilize and solidify new state after that of change. The refreezing step can help in ensuring that people do not move back to the old way of thinking (Moxen & Strachan, 2017). I have understood that this step can help in guaranteeing that change is cemented into the culture of organization. I have learnt that positive rewards can help in reinforcing new state as it is generally found that positively reinforced behaviour have more chances of being repeated.
Conclusion
An organisation brings about changes in structural and operational model so that it can help them in surviving in the competitive environment. The organizational changes can take place continuously or it can take place over a course of time. Ethical issues are involved in managing change and the managers being unable in recognizing objectives can lead to issues within an organization. I think that there should be openness in the change process which can help in avoiding issues at the time of change implementation. Ethical Change Management Model can study the external pressures that can identify the needed change. Change agent can be useful for managing change within the ambit of an organization. The change leaders can be useful at the time of organizational change which can help the organization in relation to innovation. The change leaders should create a flexible organization and it should have strategic mission that can help the organization in being successful. Lewin has brought out the idea that planned change can improve the overall health of an organization.
References:
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