RESPONSE QUESTIONS

Organization Environment and Diversity



Organization Environment and Diversity

Outline the major elements of an organisation's general environment? Which of these elements do you think is the most challenging for businesses today?

The major elements of an organization's general environment are as follows:

Economic Conditions

Technological Condition

Legal-Political Condition

Socio-Cultural Condition

The technological condition is the most challenging element for nay business as new technologies keep on emerging day to day. The organization has to ensure that they keep up to dated about all the latest and advanced technological elements so that they have a competitive advantage in the market. Various changes and advancements in technology can either slump or elevate the profitability of the business (Schermerhorn et al, 2011, pp.32-57). Similarly, in the business industry, various technological advancements have altered the method of marketing, advertising, promotion and maintenance of customer relationship. The equipments, tools, systems and skills need constant upgrades. This means that the organization has to bring these changes within the environment of the organization. However, bringing and adopting change in the organization is not an easy task. The management can be faced with resistance from the employees. One needs to find out if their employees will accept the change or else the time and process involved in making the change will be useless.

In some cases, the individual moves more rapidly through all the phases this rapidness depends on the degree of control, experiences of life and the temperament along with other factors, of the individual (Bell, 2011, pp. 267-376). However, some individuals can find it difficult to accept the change. They can give up at the early stage of the change process. An effective change agent is able to plot where people are on the transition curve, and respond appropriately. The whole process must be discussed with the employees before taking any step in implementing the changes. The perception of the employees towards the efforts for change which takes place in the organization is a vital factor readiness for change. Furthermore, perceptions of employees of the company's change readiness are recognized as an essential component for the understanding of resistance sources to global change (Schermerhorn et al, 2011, pp.32-57). Such perception can undermine or facilitate the efficiency of a change intervention.

Furthermore, the changes in the technologies mean that the employees must also be trained accordingly. Appropriate and effective training is needed to ensure that the employees understand the new technology and learn to utilize it in their advantage. Training and Development helps in developing leadership skills, motivation, loyalty, better attitudes, and other aspects that successful workers and managers typically display (Cox, 2010, pp. 89-135). Training is the process of enhancing the skills, capabilities and knowledge of employees for doing a particular job. Training process is used to mould the thinking of employees and leads to quality performance of employees. These training and coaching will help the employees to develop themselves and will help them in providing quality products to customers. Though, it takes a lot of effort and investment in the part of ...