Assignment Objectives

Millar, C., Hind, P., & Magala, S. (2012). Sustainability and the need for change: organisational change and transformational vision. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 25(4), 489-500.

The article “Sustainability and the need for change: organisational change and transformational vision” by Millar, Hind and Magala  (2012) focused on the sustainability challenges that are faced by the organizations. The change that is being undertaken by the organizations are based on the objective of organizational sustenance in the diverse market conditions. The findings of the research portray the manner in which the short term priorities of the organizations related to the financial gains  are balanced by the implementation of strategies that would support the long term aspirations of continuous growth in the business processes.  The paper aimed at portraying the overview of the sustainability of the  organization through an enumeration of the different policy reviews. Millar, Hind and Magala  (2012) stated in the article the different dimensions of the change that is undertaken by the diverse firms in order to pursue their specific is dependent on the analysis of the needs of the business in order to sustain in the competitive market situations. The bottom line mentality of the leaders often affects the proper functioning of the business processes. However, the long term aspirations of sustainability in the market and retaining the brand image of the same has helped organizations in undertaking he process of evolution as per the market demand.

The technological innovations that were undertaken by the organization, Nokia, has helped in the development of the market value gradually after the organization lost its market value completely. Nokia was already under a partnership with the networking equipment manufacturer Siemens. Thereby the organizational management team of Nokia realized that the networking equipment business could offer the organization with better opportunities for the growth of the business. However, the change that was undertaken by the organization due to its short term objective affected the sustainability of the business as the business exited the market in 2014 (Laamanen,   Lamberg  & Vaara,  2016).

McKay, K., Kuntz, J. R., & Näswall, K. (2013). The effect of affective commitment, communication and participation on resistance to change: The role of change readiness. New Zealand Journal of Psychology (Online), 42(2), 29.

McKay, Kuntz and Näswall (2013) stated in the research that involvement of management in the organizational progress and thereby mitigate the workforce related issues will be helping in the efficient functioning of the businesses. The readiness to accept the change in the processes of the workforce will be supported through the involvement of management of the organization to negotiate on basic terms with the employees. The research enumerates the different methods that might be undertaken by the management like communication and negotiation with the employees in order to support the change readiness.  The commitment of the organizational management and inter- trust factors between the organizational management and the employees helps in maintaining the efficient implementation of the change in the processes of the business. The study enumerated the different factors and steps through which the organization might take steps to enhance the involvement of the workforce on the change processes. The proactive reaction of management to the resistances offered by the employees and thereby persuading and convincing the same to support the processes of the business helps in maintaining the efficacy of the change impositions. Management’s engagement in maintaining different positive relations of the organization has helped in maintaining the efficacy of the change implementation.

Required Tasks

The implementation of the automated technologies in the Common Wealth Bank’s accounting systems was undertaken by the business in order to reduce the effect of scams and fraudulent activities. However, there were active resistances that were raised from the end of the employees due to their fear of losing their employment with the change in the processes of the business (Lindley, Jorna  & Smith,  2012). However, the organization undertook efficient communication techniques in order to reach out to the employees and reassure them that they would be posted in different departments, which might require the involvement of the human workforce. The efficient communication with the employees has helped the business in maintaining the efficiency of the organization through the sage implementation of change in the processes.

Change in the business processes helps in maintaining the efficiency of the functions and thereby support the sustainability of the businesses. However, there are different short term perspectives of financial gains for which the organizations might undertake change. The bottom line mentality of organizations often affects the interests of the employees in order to fulfill the financial gains of the business. The different nature of the organizational change has helped in maintaining the efficacy of the functions as per the objectives of the business while operating in the different business scenarios. However, the change that is planned by the organizations is often impacted by resistances from the side of the workforce due to the clash of interests of profitability and sustenance of the organization with the interests of employability and remuneration provided to the employees. The report will aim at studying the change that was undertaken by Amazon and the issues that are faced by the same due to resistance of the employees. The organization has taken steps to introduce the automated packaging and delivery systems, which was earlier undertaken by the employees. It has resulted to resistances from the side of the employees. It affected the safe implementation of the processes in the organizational model.

The purpose of undertaking the report is to identify the different challenges that are faced by the organization while implementing technological innovations. The technological innovations would have helped the organization in maintaining the efficacy in operations. However, the implementation of automated technologies would be hurting the interests of the employees in the different departments. The report will be enumerating Kotter’s change management model in order to identify the change and the relevant issues faced  by the organization relating to resistances. On the other hand, the report will be enumerating the recommended actions, which will be boosting the management of Amazon to implement the change more dynamically.  

Word Count

The change that is planned by the organization, Amazon, is through the implementation of automated technologies in packaging and managing the deliveries (Knight,  2018). The automation of the processes will be helping the organization in cutting off their operations costs that was incurred by the business. On the other hand, the adaption of the automation technologies will be helping the business in enhancing the productivity and quality of functioning. The implementation of the automated technologies has affected the interests of the different employees, as they fear of losing their employability. The organizational change will be helping the business in maintaining the efficacy of the systems of the business while operating in the international markets. The issue that is faced by the organization while implementing the automated technology is based on the lack of communication with the employees. The lack of involvement of the workforce in the change that is planned by the business has affected the safe implementation of the change. Moon et al., (2013) stated that the lack of proper communication between the employees and the management of the organization has caused a gap in the integrative and collaborative functions. This section of the analysis focuses on identifying the issues that are faced by the organization while implementing change in the operating systems. On the other hand, the section also enumerates the different actions that might be undertaken by the organization in order to resolve the issues that are faced by the same while implementing the positive change for the long term profitability of the business.

The Kotter’s change management model has helped in identifying the issue that is faced by the organization (Fugate, Prussia  & Kinicki,  2012). Amazon has planned to undertake a change in the processes of the business without considering the interests of the employees resulting to the resistances. On the other hand, the involvement of the employees in the different processes of the business operations is compromised through the lack of suitable communication with the employees.  The change that is planned by the business is based on the needs of improving the situation of the same while operating in the diverse market situations. Canini et al.,  (2015) stated that the change that is planned by businesses are dependent on the sustainability needs of the same. However, Van der Voet  (2014) argued that the lack of proper interactions with the employees has resulted to lack of involvement of the same in the processes planned by the business. Hon,   Bloom and Crant  (2014) stated that the lack of involvement of the workforce in the change processes of the organization is based on resistances and clashes that affects the proper implementation of change in the processes. As per the case, the sustainability needs of the organization and the manner in which the productivity of the business can be enhanced has forced Amazon to adopt automated technologies. However, the lack of suitable interactions with the employees has affected the change process that is planned by the business while operating on the sustainability objective.

General Guidance for Written Assignment

The enumeration of Kotter’s change management model has helped in evaluating the position of the organization and the issues that are faced by the same while implementing the automated technologies in the processes. The implementation of the automated technologies without making the employees aware of the situation has resulted to resistances from the end of the employees and the other stakeholders of the business.  The automation of the delivery and packaging systems of the organization through the implementation AI induced machinery will be helping the organization in reducing the different operating costs (Worley III  & Clayton, 2014). However, the lack of suitable interactions with the employees has resulted to the minimization of the involvement of the employees in the change processes that are planned by the business. On the other hand, Kuipers et al., (2014) stated that communication holds an important place in the change management practices that are undertaken by the businesses. It has helped in building on the different strong points of the organizational functioning as per the needs of the business operations.  

                                                                      Figure 1: Kotter’s eight step change management model

                                                                                         (Source: Jones  & Recardo,  2013)

The eight steps in the change management model proposed by Kotter will be helping to identify the distinct steps that are required to be undertaken by the organization for safe implementation of change. Matos Marques Simoes and Esposito  (2014) stated that the eight steps of the model will be helping organization s in upholding  the efficacy of the activities through proper scheduling of the change related activities of the organization. As per the case of Amazon’s implementation of automated technologies, the lack of proper interactions with the employees affected the change in the processes. Stage four of the model enumerates the need of proper communication of the vision for the organizational change with the employees.  Amazon’s negation of the interactive sessions has affected the interests of the employees through the implementation of automated technologies (Knight,  2018). The lack of empowerment of the human workforce resulted to insufficiency in the coordinative activities as per the objectives of the business. The implementation of the automated technologies will be helping the business in upholding the efficacy of the business processes.  However, the communication of the vision of the organization as per the needs of sustaining in the technologically advanced market would have helped the same in involving the support of the employees.

Article Synopsis and Implications for Organisational Change

The issue that is faced by the organization, Amazon, is due to the lack of proper communication with the workforce and negotiations on terms of the needs of the organization to hold sustainable ventures. The sustainability of the ventures of the organization will be helping the same in progressing as per the market demands. On the other hand, Parker et al.,  (2013) stated that communication with the employees and the other stakeholders forms an important part of the change initiative that is planned by the business.  Thereby lack of communication and negotiations resulted to resistances from the side of the workforce for the change that is planned by the business. Adherence to Kotter’s change management model would have helped Amazon in undertaking the suitable implementation of the technological change in the processes. The ethics of business operations are compromised, in this connection, where the interest of the employees and their employability was kept at stake for the profitability and sustenance of the business venture. 

The recommended actions that might be undertaken by the organization are likely dependent on the aspirations of the business to sustain in the competitive markets. The steps in Kotter’s change management model have helped in enumerating the different aspects of change in the organizational context in order to maximize the involvement of the employees. Communication is one of the major factors that is required to be considered by organizations in maintaining the safe implementation of change. Kazmi  and Naarananoja  (2013) stated that communication with the employees  helps organizations in keeping the employees aware of the change and thereby  promote change readiness. The promotion of the change readiness in the organizational perspective will be helping the businesses in maintaining the ethical standards. On the other hand, K. Vora  (2013) stated that the bottom line mentality of the organization often affects the change in the business processes. As per the case of Amazon, the organization planned to implement the automated technologies considering only the sustainability of the same in the long run. The implementation of the automated technologies will be helping the organization in maintaining the sustainability of the businesses. However, the lack of proper communications with the employees affected the involvement criteria of the employees in the change. 

 The implementation of the transactional communication model in Amazon’s case will be helping the business in acquiring the feedbacks from the employees on their perception of the automation in the processes of the business apparatus.  The application of the communicational model in the business enterprise will be helping the organization in maintaining the efficiency of the negotiations. On the other hand, Pollack and  Pollack  (2015) stated that the communicational efforts will be helping the organization in maximizing the change readiness among the employees, which will be helping the organization in minimizing the turnover rates. Millar,   Hind and Magala  (2012) stated that the  two way communication procedure will be helping the organization in identifying the different risks that might be faced by the business while operating in the international scenario. Negotiation with the employees will be helping the organization in maintaining the efficacy of the change in the processes of the business operations. The implementation of the transactional decision making model will be helping the organization in undertaking discussions with the employees in order to identify the different pros and cons of the automation technologies.

Case Study Application

                                                                      Figure 2: Transactional communication model

                                                                              (Source:  Appelbaum et al.,  2012)

 The adoption of the transactional communication model will be helping the organizations in maintaining the efficacy of the implementation of the AI technologies in the product packaging and delivering processes to the final customers. The application of the transactional model of communication will be helping Amazon in promoting change readiness among the workforce. It will be helping the organization in maximizing the involvement of the employees in the process of implementing the automated technologies. The transactional communication will also be helping the organization in maintaining the sustainability of the same through ethical decision making systems.  

McKay,   Kuntz and  Näswall  (2013) stated that the sustainability of operations of the business  is based on the  communication with the internal and the eternal stakeholders.  Therefore, the organization, Amazon, might take steps to hold effective communication with the employees in order to undertake unbiased negotiations on the interests of employees and the management as a whole. On the other hand, the organization might also design for specific job positions in the organization in order to reduce the staff turnover rates in the organizational operations.

Conclusion

Therefore, it can be stated that the identification of the different needs of the organizations helps in maintaining the efficacy of the change. However, proper communication of the modifications in the business processes is required to be undertaken by the management of the organizations in order to facilitate the change readiness among the employees. The major objective of organizations is to maximize empowerment of the workforce in order to undertake smooth operations. Communication of modifications that are planned by management of the organizations results to the involvement of the organization in the change process of the businesses.

The case of Amazon’s implementation of the automated technologies in the product packaging and delivering activities will be helping the organization in maximizing the productivity and profitability of the same. However, the implementation of automated technologies is not communicated to the employees, which has affected the change readiness and thereby resulted to resistances in the workforce. The implementation of the change in the processes of the business might support the sustainability of the same in the long run. However, the ethical standpoints of negating the employment of the concerned employees in the packaging and delivery departments have affected the brand image of the business. Therefore, the implementation of the change in the processes of the business has helped in maintaining the proficiency of the business functions as per the objectives.

References

Appelbaum, S. H., Habashy, S., Malo, J. L., & Shafiq, H. (2012). Back to the future: revisiting Kotter’s 1996 change model. Journal of Management Development, 31(8), 764-782.

Canini, M., Kuznetsov, P., Levin, D., & Schmid, S. (2015, April). A distributed and robust sdn control plane for transactional network updates. In Computer Communications (INFOCOM), 2015 IEEE Conference on (pp. 190-198). IEEE.

Fugate, M., Prussia, G. E., & Kinicki, A. J. (2012). Managing employee withdrawal during organizational change: The role of threat appraisal. Journal of Management, 38(3), 890-914.

Hon, A. H., Bloom, M., & Crant, J. M. (2014). Overcoming resistance to change and enhancing creative performance. Journal of Management, 40(3), 919-941.

Jones, D. J., & Recardo, R. J. (2013). Leading and implementing business change management: Making change stick in the contemporary organization. Routledge.

K . Vora, M. (2013). Business excellence through sustainable change management. The TQM Journal, 25(6), 625-640.

Kazmi, S. A. Z., & Naarananoja, M. (2013, January). Comparative approaches of key change management models-a fine assortment to pick from as per situational needs!. In International Conference on Business Strategy and Organizational Behaviour (BizStrategy). Proceedings (p. 217). Global Science and Technology Forum.

Knight, W. (2018). At Amazon Warehouses, Humans and Machines Work in Frenetic Harmony. Retrieved from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/538601/inside-amazons-warehouse-human-robot-symbiosis/

Kuipers, B. S., Higgs, M., Kickert, W., Tummers, L., Grandia, J., & Van der Voet, J. (2014). The management of change in public organizations: A literature review. Public administration, 92(1), 1-20.

Laamanen, T., Lamberg, J. A., & Vaara, E. (2016). Explanations of success and failure in management learning: What can we learn from Nokia’s rise and fall?. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 15(1), 2-25.

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Matos Marques Simoes, P., & Esposito, M. (2014). Improving change management: How communication nature influences resistance to change. Journal of Management Development, 33(4), 324-341.

McKay, K., Kuntz, J. R., & Näswall, K. (2013). The effect of affective commitment, communication and participation on resistance to change: The role of change readiness. New Zealand Journal of Psychology (Online), 42(2), 29.

Millar, C., Hind, P., & Magala, S. (2012). Sustainability and the need for change: organisational change and transformational vision. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 25(4), 489-500.

Moon, S., Aller, H., Yellin, E., Knox, K., & Schumacher, J. (2013). U.S. Patent No. 8,412,623. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Parker, D., Charlton, J., Ribeiro, A., & D. Pathak, R. (2013). Integration of project-based management and change management: Intervention methodology. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 62(5), 534-544.

Pollack, J., & Pollack, R. (2015). Using Kotter’s eight stage process to manage an organisational change program: Presentation and practice. Systemic Practice and Action Research, 28(1), 51-66.

Van der Voet, J. (2014). The effectiveness and specificity of change management in a public organization: Transformational leadership and a bureaucratic organizational structure. European Management Journal, 32(3), 373-382.

Worley III, W. S., & Clayton, E. M. (2014). U.S. Patent No. 8,825,226. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.