Overview of Change Management

Running head: CHANGE MANAGEMENT
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
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Introduction
In the age of rapid globalization, business organizations around the world are
strategizing means in order to improve their productivity and profitability. This process
further requires the organizations to identify the changing trends of the market along with the
opportunities and threats to their business operations. The importance of change management
therefore lies in the ability of the organization to align the resources available to them with
the organizational targets and goals (Doppelt, 2017). In other words, the process of change
management enables the business organizations to improve their efficiency in conducting
business activities along with the enhancement of performance of the employees in catering
to the requirements and demands of the customers (Uhl & Gollenia, 2016). The essay will
further discuss the importance of change management in incorporating a new memo system
in an organization in order to improve the system of sharing information among the various
departments. The efficiency of this change management process thereby depends on several
factors including the method in which it is implemented and integrated among the employees
and other internal and external stakeholders of the business organization.
Discussion
Identification of the Problem
The need for the new memo system arises from the inefficiency of the system of
rotating paper documents among the various departments and employees of the business
organization. The problem with this system can be identified to be its informal nature and the
lack of maintenance of strict and proper records regarding the various information thus
shared. Furthermore, paper documents can also be easily destroyed in the process of rotating
them among the different departments thereby creating discrepancies in the operational
functions. In addition to this, forging of paper documents also remains a possibility that may

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cause conflicts and misunderstandings with the structure of the organization. The presence of
a new system of exchanging memorandums will help the management to keep records for the
different departments of the organization, thereby increasing efficiency in business operations
(Bock & Frank, 2016). Furthermore, the memo system also improve the cost efficiency of
business operations by reducing the cost of producing the paper documents among the
departments of the organization, along with its employees.
Change Implementation
Change implementation process in business organization entails the incorporation of
several factors in order to address the need for change among the various internal and
external stakeholders (Bradley, 2016). These factors include the strategizing of an objective
for the change. In this case, the objective of change implementation can be identified to be
the increasing of efficiency of sharing information among the various departments of the
organization. The identifiable problem of the inefficiency of paper documents for the same
necessitates of a more effective system that would not cause in any discrepancy in the
operational functions of the organization. The adoption of the proposed change would
thereby enable the organization to improve its efficiency in decision making processes,
ensure security of the information and prevent any lack of communication among the various
departments and the employees functioning with them. In order to initiate the process of
change implementation, the organization is further required to develop a communication plan
so that the interests of the organization are integrated with the interests of the employees.
Change Management Process
Change management in business organizations can be undertaken using different
methods. One such method can be identified to be the Lewin’s three step model which
incorporates the activities of unfreezing, changing and re-freezing (Cummings, Bridgman &
Brown, 2016). In this case, the first step involves unfreezing the processes of current business

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operations. In this step the employees and other internal stakeholders are required to be made
aware about the change that is to be implemented. This awareness involves the need for
implementing the change and making the stakeholders prepared for the new processes of
business operations. The following step involves implanting the changes that have been
proposed in order to improve organizational efficiency. After removing the uncertainty of the
employees regarding the new processes to be adopted in the business operations, the actual
change of introducing the new memo system can be incorporated. A clear understanding
about how this new change will benefit the performance of the organization as well as its
employees will reduce the possibility of conflicts and resistance towards the change (Botha,
Kourie & Snyman, 2014). After such resistance is removed and the change is successfully
implemented and integrated with the business operations, the organization may move to the
next step of re-freezing. The process of refreezing involves getting the employees acquainted
with the new system as the norm that needs to be followed in future, thereby restoring
stability in the business operations. In this case, the process of refreezing involves the actual
use of the new memo system and making it integral to the business operations of the
organization.
Challenges and Resistance
Conflicts and resistance is considered to be a natural response to change
implementation and management in business organizations. Such resistance may arise among
the employees and other stakeholders of the organization owing to the uncertainty regarding
the change implementation process and their inability to adopt with the new system of
changes incorporated in the organizational functions (Grama & Todericiu, 2016). In this
given case, the resistance may arise due to the prolonged habit of the various departments and
their employees in using paper documents to exchange information. Technical challenges and

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inability to use the new system may also cause conflict among the employees in adapting to
the new memo system.
Conflict Management
The conflict and resistance arising out of the process of change management can be
handled by the organization in various ways. The scope of conflict management entails the
ability of the organization in protecting the interests of the various internal and external
stakeholders and integrating them with the interests of the organization itself (Canning &
Found, 2015). In this regard, it can be pointed out that since the conflict and resistance among
the members of the given organization arises from their inability to learn the new software for
the memo system and get used to it in conducting their business functions and activities. Such
resistance and conflict can be managed by conducting a process of training. Furthermore, the
Human Resource Management System of the organization can also create a forum where the
employees may be able to address the different problems faced by them during the change
implementation process. The various departments of the organization may also be informed
about the problem of using paper documents in sharing information, and how they affect the
efficient functioning of the operations. Such communication may aid in removing resistance
from the employees so that they may actively participate in the change implementation and
management process. Enhancement and highlighting the positive outcomes of the proposed
changes and the change management process, aligning the goals with the personal and
professional goals of the employees may also help in the prevention of any resistance or
conflicts among them.
Conclusion
From the above discussion of incorporating the change of introducing a new memo
system in the organization, it can be concluded that the process of the change management

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essentially requires adequate participation and engagement from the various members of the
organization in order to ensure its successful implementation. The change implementation
process requires effective means of communication among the various stakeholders regarding
the problems faced in the current business operations and how they might be improved with
the help of the proposed change. However, the organization may also face certain challenges
during the change implementation process. Such challenges may include conflicts and
resistance from the employees, thereby hampering the change implementation process. Such
conflicts may in turn be managed with the help of effective communication regarding the
benefits of the change and implementation of a training program in order to make the
employees efficiently adapt to the implemented change.

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References
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