CHANGE MANAGEMENT

Change Management Roles and Strategies

Change Management Roles and Strategies

Introduction

Change is part of many organizations in today's fast changing business environment. Change itself is not a focus, but it is often a reaction to changes in the external environment. Organizational change stems from many situations, which force organizations to adopt creative strategies in terms of entering new markets, diversifying into new areas or through other strategic maneuvers. Following are some of the role played by manger when faced with different pressures in the organizations (Piotrowski & Armstrong 2005, pp.86).

Roles of a Manager during Pressure Situations

Director - Change is forced due to strategic pressures. These changes are viewed as controllable and directed by managers.

Navigator - Change is forced due to internal and external pressures. Managers face manifold pressures, and all competing interest is required to be analyzed before responding with strategies. Pressures come internally as well as, externally.

Caretaker - Certain pressures are unstoppable and; therefore, managers have less control over these pressures. In such cases, managers play a role of caretaker. Internal pressure is felt due to new regulations or high organizational growth.

Coach - In order to achieve integration in an organization, pressures emerge constantly. These pressures are managed in order to enhance cooperation or collaboration to achieve better results.

Interpreter - Internal staff want answers to questions arising from ambiguity within organization. In such circumstances, the key role of managers is clarifying the situation.

Nurturer - Organization is buffeted by irrational pressures, from both large and small forces. Although such pressures may appear small, but consequences are large for the organization. Change management depends on the firm's adaptive capability (Palmer et.al 2009, pp.40).

Why the Organization is going through Change?

Marks and Spencer (M & S) went through changes in recent years due to poor organizational performance. There are various reasons behind this situation in the company.

Trust forms the key part in relationship with the firm's employees. Marks and Spencer had lost the confidence of its employees. Trust is the key which foster commitment from employees for organization. Many business scholars have stressed the importance of employee satisfaction and no organization have earned success with dissatisfied workforce. Customer satisfaction is directly related with employee satisfaction. This situation highlighted change pressure born within organization.

Marks and Spencer has a strong presence in the community, however, community perception has changed recently. Mark and Spencer came up with a differentiation strategy to provide low cost cloth and use the income to contribute to the society. The company initiated a pilot project with its suppliers and all the deals were carried out secretly. This raised the issue of transparency and doubts were raised towards audit practices of the firm. This situation has affected the goodwill of the company (Porter 2008, pp.42).

The third factor is the poor relations with suppliers. The company had lost the trust of suppliers, as well. Marks and Spencer used a model for the increase in profitability that came across to be extremely capital intensive. In this regard, the firm needs to develop a change management plan ...