Organization-wide Changes

Hotpack Global has made organization-wide changes. This change is related to the implementation of a warehouse management system. Organisation-wide change is related to key restructure, collaboration and rightsizing the organization. These changes incorporate different level in their transformational cycle. Furthermore, the transformational process of warehouse management system will involve a warehouse manager, a staff member who works in operations, and inventory managing staffs (Chang, 2016). Hotpack Global uses a manual process to manage the warehousing but, it would have needed to adopt the automated process in order to increase their productivity. The company will follow the hierarchy structure to make transformation within an organization. Because, it would enable the senior manager of the logistic department to effectively implement the warehouse management system. This transformation is related to advanced technology hence, the staff member may face the issue to move from a manual process to automated process (Giussi, et. al., 2017).

Changes within an organization may cause workforces to create a feeling of less security regarding their jobs. It depends on the kinds of workforces such as one who copes with the transformation or one who resist change. In this way, the impact of this fear may vary at the workplace. Workforces who cope with transformation but fear the loss among them could encourage to harder work and demonstrates themselves. Furthermore, those employees who struggle with transformation may become less productive and excessively cautious (Bradley, 2016).

Transformation in Hotpack Global may affect the groups within an organization. A supervisor plans for changes as per his/her own evaluation of the condition. Furthermore, peers and subordinates may resist this transformation because they do not agree with the warehouse management system and perceive the circumstances differently (Giussi, et. al., 2017).

An organization should perfectly shift and implement gracefully because it may hinder the new ideas from cropping up. It is essential that a company focuses on the practices, policy, and products or services that are feasible for today scenario. Without transformation, Hotpack Global may face loses as compared with the key market players. Hence, they have required transforming and adapting the technology to keep up with the times (Bradley, 2016).  

Hotpack Global LLC was founded in the year of 1995 in Dubai. This is now a multinational corporation which is engaged on the marketing, distribution, and manufacturing of wide category of food packaging items and associated products made of alumni, foam, paper, and plastic at their several manufacturing units in Dubai, Abudhabi, Umm Al Quwain, and India (Hotpack Global, 2018).

This group has an operation in different GCC nations such as Africa, the USA, and the UK. Within the short span of time, Hotpack has grown as one of the leading nations in this industry with its reputation for supplying the premium quality products. The corporation sells its product in their brand name like ‘Soft n Cool’, H-Pack and ‘Hotpack’ that is recognized for premium quality with hygiene. Before transformation, the annual turnover of this company was $136m. After transformation, it has gained the competitive benefits due to a unique position in the market (Geppert, Matten, and Williams, 2016).

Fear of Change in Workforce

A senior manager of the warehouse will conduct the interview and questionnaire for gathering the effects of transformation on managers and employees at the workplace. For the interview, it will select 5 managers and 45 employees will be chosen for the questionnaire. Before conducting the interview and questionnaire, a senior manager will take the approval fromHotpack Global. After approval, he will send the questionnaire with proper instruction (Geppert, Matten, and Williams, 2016). He will also ensure for not sharing the confidential data of participants. The senior manager will make an open-ended questionnaire for an interview and close-ended questionnaire for conducting the questionnaire. Participants will be selected on the judgment of the manager. He will also provide the equal chances to the participant to give responses in research. Both questionnaire and interview will aid to gather the qualitative and quantitative research information. For example, the interview will be based on subjective nature so that, research can obtain qualitative information and questionnaire will be based on objective nature that will produce quantitative data (Carpenter and Agrawal, 2018).

Letter of research approval from Organisation

Company letter

16 September2018

Dear respondents,

Greeting!

I am conducting the research entitled “Implemented Warehouse Management System” due to assessing the information regarding the impact of change management.

Due to this, I appeal for your support to provide relevant data regarding the research concern.

Kindly grant me permission for conducting an interview and survey through a questionnaire on your managers and employees with regards to getting their feedback on transformation process.

I would like to express my thankfulness for your backing in this research.

Appreciative to you for offering me your help

Yours sincerely,

Name of student

Contact number

Email address

Managing Director of company

Abdul Jabbar PB

Hotpack Global, Dubai 

This is the first phase where the company identifies what need for change. In this stage, Hotpack Global has addressed the financial analysis where sales turnover was declined as compared to the previous year due to ineffective management of inventory. Hence, it has found that there is a need for implementing a new warehouse management system like ERP (Ceptureanu, 2015).

After identification of change, it has assessed what could be the impact of transformation on the individual, group and organization. It has also assessed the impact of implementing Warehousing management system on revenue.  

Hotpack Global has approved to implement the warehouse management system in an organization because it will have a favorable impact on the individual, employees, and organization. It was examined that this transformation will increase the efficiency of individual and helps to better communication between groups. This transformation will also increase the productivity as well as the profitability of corporation (Matos Marques Simoes, and Esposito, 2014).

Intervention is performed for enhancing the Hotpack Global from its existing position to a targeted position and to attain the desired transformation, different techniques will are implemented. The change intervention will include different activities such as offering feedback regarding task, team, and individuals along with other aspects of dynamics of an organization. This change intervention will increase the awareness about changing norms and to deal will the issue effectively (Rasche, and Rehder, 2018). The implementation of warehouse management system will develop the favorable attitude openness and enhances the communication between individuals. This change intervention will educate the workforces and improves their understanding of proficiency. Moreover, the change intervention will bring positive and desirable transformation to enhance the performance of organization and individual (Blanco-Portela, Benayas, Pertierra, and Lozano, 2017).  

Effects on Groups within the Organization

2 Who managed the change process? 

The change process would be managed by the small team of team of senior managers, Board of directors and relevant stakeholders. These participants will make an effective strategy to implement the warehouse management system within an organization.

3 Were external and/or internal consultants used and how? 

Customers and suppliers were external consultants who were lead for making the transformations related to the implementation of a warehouse management system. It is analyzed that suppliers have a higher impact on the expenses of Hotpack Global. In the food industry, the bargaining power of supplier relies on the availability of resources. Therefore, implementation of warehouse management system in Hotpack Global may affect its suppliers (Altamony, Al-Salti, Gharaibeh, and Elyas, 2016).  

The bargaining power of the customer is depending on the distinctiveness of product quality, product range, competition level, and advertising. Hence, this transformation may involve the customers in terms of offering the wider category. It is also evaluated that workforce is an internal consultant who was involved in this transformation within an organization. Workforces are a key part of making an alteration in the internal environment of the company (Samuel, Found, and Williams, 2015). Hence, employees should perform a good job with respect to selling product with customers. Managers should also be good to deal with the lower level subordinates and analyzing the other element of the internal environment. Furthermore, when each workforce is proficient and competent then, internal politics may lead to making a transformation within an organization (Ceulemans, Lozano, and Alonso-Almeida, 2015).  

4 What were the obstacles? 

There are certain obstacles, which were faced by Hotpack Global in implementing the transformation such as lack of communication and employee’s resistance. It is discussed as given below:

Lack of communication with all workforces was created rumors and fear among them about the organization specifically, when company transforming the warehouse management system at the workplace. Workforces have desired to know what is going on that means whether transformation would create favorable or unfavorable news for them. It is analyzed that the feeling of risk was created among employees when management has not interacted that which work would be affected by transformation and makes feel them that they are not part of the judgment (Van der Voet, 2014).  There was a need for the senior manager to update their workforces regularly regarding their transformation plan like the implementation of warehouse management system. He should also involve all the workforces as much as possible by conducting the brainstorming session and meeting as it could help during the planning stage of transformation (Cummings, Bridgman, and Brown, 2016).  

It is analyzed that workforces resist the transformation in certain cases. Employees are comfortable in existing strategy of business because of having an understanding regarding their targets and their role. Moreover, when a transformation was implemented in Hotpack Global then, it has created barriers in terms of disruption of familiarity and some workforces were upset with the news of transformation. Since, staff members do not want to relearn their jobs hence they do not want to change the warehouse management system. Hence, Hotpack Global was needed to support their workforces and offers the training for adopting new accountability as it could ease the transformation process (Lozano, Ceulemans, and Seatter, 2015).  

Successful Transformation and Adaptation to Technology

What cultural aspects of the organization are relevant to the case? 

The implementation of a warehouse management system will change the culture of the organization. Since, in the existing scenario, there is cultural of using manual process in operation. But, after the transformation, the culture of the organization would be change because there would be a requirement for adopting the automation process in the operational process of warehouse management (Goetsch, and Davis, 2014).

Were there any politics or power issues? 

There was no need for any kind of using politics and power issues in the implementation of warehouse management system. Since, this transformation will have provided the benefits to all individuals, groups, and organization hence; no one has created barriers to implementation. Furthermore, before implementing the change, a senior manager has discussed with workforces and takes their opinion. Therefore, both the employees and the company has not used any power and politics during the transformation (Pugh, 2016).   

How resistance to change managed? 

A senior manager has used different strategies for managing the resistance to change. Top authority was contributed more efforts in meeting with workforces and operating groups. In this meeting, top management has discussed about transformation. They have also focused on making schedules about task details, and technical facts in the meeting. This meeting was beneficial to influence the employees towards transforming the warehouse management system and helps to manage the resistance and receptiveness to transformation (Kuipers, et. al., 2014).  

The top manager took an appropriate step for persuading the attitude of workforces towards transformation. These steps were involved focused on the new standard of performance for employees and encouraged them to think in an effective manner, and emphasized on the factors that were a sign of resistance. These steps were supported by Hotpack Global for directing the technology transformation at the workplace (Doppelt, 2017). A strategy that was highly appreciated for managing the resistance to change was to get participate the people in transforming process.  But, there were chances of creating trouble within an organization.

Any other relevant issues? 

The implementation of a warehouse management system in Hotpack Global has involved certain relevant issue such as some staff member was thinking to leave the job and they also encourage the other members. Hence, it was difficult for the company to influence each employee towards the transformation process (Ceulemans, Lozano, and Alonso-Almeida, 2015).  

Hotpack Global has evaluated the need for change by measuring the following factor:

In Hotpack Global, warehouse plays important role in achieving the goal of productivity. But, the productivity of the company was declining for the last few years. Hence, the company needs to implement the new warehouse management system in an organization. This system will aid to increase the efficiency, consistency as well as control the quality of the operation. Moreover, this system would aid to move goods through the warehouse with maximum speed and enhancing every phase of attaining the procedure. By this transformation, employees are competent to create a high amount of work in minimum time because new warehouse management system will provide the knowledge regarding inventory level (Cameron, and Green, 2015).  

Hotpack Global LLC – Background

In Hotpack Global, return on investment was declined since previous years hence, there was a need to implement the warehouse management system. Since, the right warehouse management system can enhance the sales and boosts profit by selling promptly and more accurately to customers. Since, new warehouse management system is automatic and provides the information regarding which products customer wants and at what time. By transforming the warehouse management system in the company, existing employees would be competent to get more orders in minimum time with fewer errors. This new system would decline the inquiry of customers and ease to provide customer support (Carnall, 2018).  

ERP Integration

The implementation of a new warehouse management system will integrate the existing business management system and provides the automated process. This new system will also provide the opportunity to business to grow and provides the solution to complete the needs of customers (Cameron, and Green, 2015).  

Timeline for implementing warehouse management system

Hotpack Global was used Kurt’s Lewin’s Change Management Model to manage the transformation at the workplace. It is stated that there is a certain theory of change management that helps to transform the warehouse management system. Lewin’s change management model is a key model as it develops the understanding about organizational transformation and structural process. This model involves certain phases such as unfreeze, change and refreeze.

It is stated that unfreeze is the initial stage of Kurt Lewin’s model that demonstrates the research for a change. In this phase, Hotpack Global should make planning for changing the warehouse management system that is essential. It is a significant phase as; there is a large quantity of individual who makes efforts to resist the change within an organization. It is also significant for classifying the status quo within an organization. The key concern is to discuss with workforces about the causes for making a transformation in the existing process and explains the advantages of that transformation. This stage focuses on the core business practices of the company (Kuipers, et. al., 2014).  

In contrast to this, change is the second phase of Lewis’s model in which actual change is implemented within Hotpack Global. This procedure may take more efforts as a workforce normally spend their efforts on developing the new transformation within an organization. Under this phase, good support with leadership could be essential as these aspects not only drive to shift with respect to feasible direction but also develop the comprehensible procedure for their workforces that are integrated with the change process. There are two factors required for change like communication and efforts for making the transition in an effective manner (Goetsch, and Davis, 2014).

On the other side, refreeze is the third stage of change in which transformation of warehouse management system has been accepted, holding and executed by an individual, group and organization for acquiring the stable position. Hence, this phase is known as refreezing. In this phase, staffs, and procedure start to refreeze and perform work in a standard manner. However, in this phase, there is a need for Hotpack Global to provide backing to the workforces and ensures that transformation is implemented at the right time and helps to attain their objectives. Moreover, employees get too confident and relax for working with transformation because of achieving the sense of stability (Cummings, Bridgman, and Brown, 2016).  

Research Process Conducted at Hotpack Global

Recommendations and Conclusion

As per the above discussion, it could be recommended that a top management should make the contribution regarding how the proposed changed will impact the workforces. The manager should use motivating strategy to implement the warehouse management system in Hotpack Global as, it would aid to influence the staff members towards the transformation. It can be also suggested that the company should focus on discussing the need for change with workers as they will have understood the importance of implementing the warehouse management system within an organization. The change should also in the favor of both employees and organization otherwise; it may create the complexity for implementing in the organization (Ceulemans, Lozano, and Alonso-Almeida, 2015).  

It can be suggested that Hotpack Global should make a plan for continuous assessment of their organizational performance in order to manage the resistance to change at the workplace. The top management should assess the detail of revenue, market fluctuation, and the competitor’s strategy before transforming within an organization. It can be recommended that a corporation should build confidence between the team and increase their morale by using the transforming procedure. In addition, the company needs to be attentive with respect to transformation within an organization (Cummings, Bridgman, and Brown, 2016).  

Conclusion

As per the above discussion, it can be concluded that Hotpack Global has implemented the warehouse management system in Dubai. This change has an impact on individual, groups, and organization in terms of Fear of Loss of Job, Different Perceptions and hinders the new ideas within an organization. It can be summarised that the senior manager has conducted both interview and questionnaire for gathering their feedback on transforming effects. The Kurt Lewin’s change process was used by Hotpack Global in terms of transforming the operation and implementing the warehouse management system.

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